Don't Give Up Forever
by Lissaone
Summary: Liz is a poor Irish Immigrant working for a rich New York Family, the Evans. Of course interest...
1. Default Chapter

** Title: To Give Up Forever**

**Rating: No higher than PG-13**

**Pairings: All conventional, except I have Kyle and Serena together (again, I'm very unoriginal.)**

**Disclaimer: The characters of "Roswell" belong to Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, WB, and UPN. They are not mine and no infringement is intended.**

**Summary: Liz is a poor Irish Immigrant working for a rich New York Family, the Evans. Of course interest is sparked but their romance ignites fire throughout the early 20th century New York Society, as well as opening old wounds within their own families.**

**Author's Note: I just thought this would be a fun time period to publish in. I'm obsessed with historicals, because I'm obsessed with history, but I hope you enjoy. I know it's not all historically accurate, but what is really? I have had this idea for a long time but I wanted to finish my other two fics before starting on a brand new one. I'm hoping to get a post a week up. Also if anyone knows of a story that goes by this title, please let me know, because it sounds very familiar.**

_Galway, Ireland 1895_

Run, run far away from the city. Faster, faster, you're going to get caught.

Her little legs carried her straight into a dead end. She looked around for a crawl space as her brother had taught her. She was small enough to fit almost anywhere.

Dear God certainly she was old enough to not need her brother looking after her. At eight, most girls usually had younger siblings to look after. She didn't need him.

But how she ached for Kyle now. She was shivering cold and she was trapped.

"Come here, you." The voice was rough and as smelly as the hand that reached for her. She knew better than to scream. It would only bring more.

"Don't please, sir." She twisted away but the hand held even tighter.

"Hold still." His breath was in her face and she couldn't breath. She had heard of this happening but she couldn't believe it.

"No." She struggled. Remembering something her brother told her she brought her knee up. Hard.

"You little wench!" He rolled off of her.

She took the moment to stand and dash off around the corner and straight into someone else.

She began kicking and screaming not again, not again.

"Stop. Hold still, Lizzie."

She felt arms go around her, arms she knew well. She snuggled into them, hoping he would take her away. "Kyle."

"Come along home now, little girl." He swept her into his arms. He was ten years older than she. "What have I told you about being on the streets alone?"

"Papa needed something."

"What is so darned important you had to go outside?"

"Papa." Liz just shook her head.

"I told you many a times, Elizabeth. It's not safe." He pulled her against him. God he wanted to get her out of here, this isn't somewhere where a little girl should have to grow up.

He pulled her inside the old building and up the rickety stairs. They avoided the people in the hallways. The smell of liquor hung heavily in the halls.

"It's about time you children be getting home." Jeff Parker was in the living room.

"Why'd you let, Lizzie out?" Kyle asked shaking visibly. His father was drunk again.

"What happened to her?" Nancy Parker asked her son and took the small girl from his arms.

"Papa sent her out." Kyle glared at the man.

She had no idea, not like she could have done anything to stop him anyway. She was a failure as a mother.

"We're going to America." Jeff announced to the kids.

"Don't jest, Papa." They didn't have the kind of money it took to get passage.

"Aunt Amy sent money and we've been saving up our own." Nancy said, speaking of her sister. "We need to leave soon, we'll be going to New York." Her voice changed when she spoke of New York, there was a softer tone to her voice.

"America then." He nodded and headed out the door.

_

* * *

_Three Months Later, Ellis Island

"Mama!" Liz shouted as she was taken from her arms.

"Hush, child." Spoke the man whose arms she was in.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. It was loud here and she could barely hear anything. She strained to hear him.

"Can you stand?" The man asked.

She nodded and he set her on the floor. She stood tall as her parents and Kyle had told her to do. It was one of the few times that her father was sober enough to help her.

"Good." The man gave her an uncaring smile and told her to walk.

She did and without the tiniest limp.

"Go on." He pointed to the next man and she flew to her father. She had no idea where they had taken Kyle.

"Open your mouth, Girl." The next doctor said.

She did so and a tongue depressor was shoved down her throat. "Move on." He said and her mother lead her to the next inspection officer.

This man had a cruel button holder to flip her eye up to check for trachoma. She blinked hard and flinched back.

He marked something on her card and passed on. He did the same thing to her papa and mama.

"What is your name?" A man at a table asked.

"Elizabeth Anne Parker, sir" She told him.

"And your age."

"Eight years, sir."

"Is this your father?"

"Yes, sir"

"And your mother?"

"Yes, sir."

"And your mother's name?"

"Nancy McCormick Parker, Sir."

"And your father?"

"Jeffery Ryan Parker, Sir."

"Where do you come from?"

"Galway, Sir."

He passed her along.

She was directed to another stand away from her parents. She screamed for her but they pulled Liz away from her. "Mama!" She cried.

"Hush, girl, we just need to check you over."

She stopped struggling because there was no use. She could still see her father holding her mother and staring after her making sure she was ok.

They unbuttoned her dress and pulled it down to her waist. She shivered even though she wasn't cold.

They put a cold instrument up to her back.

"Deep breath, girl."

She took a deep breath.

"Again."

She did so.

She stepped back when they were finished and waited for them to button her dress up. They didn't and pushed her out of the room.

Liz ran to her father who spun her around and buttoned up her dress for her before giving a glare to the people who had done it to her.

They walked to another room crowded with people. The air was thick in the summer heat. She held on tight and waited patiently next to her father while her mother's lungs were inspected twice by two different doctors.

Five hours later, they walked towards the doors to America.

"Well, we did it, Nancy."

"Are we going to America, Papa?"

"Yes, as soon as we find your brother."

Liz was once again lifted into her father's arms where she felt the safest—provided he was sober and Kyle wasn't around.

"Where is he?" He had been pulled aside earlier.

They walked outside to where the ferry would take them across to New York. They hoped he would be waiting for them.

"Look, Papa. There's Kyle, he has our belongings!" She hopped down and ran to him. "Kyle where'd you go?" She hugged him.

"I had to get a few more tests, they didn't like the way my mouth looked." He hid the fear he had felt when he thought that he would be left alone in America without his sister or worse—be sent back. He hugged her close. "You passed without problem, I see?"

"Yes." Her eye still blinked fiercely. "I was so scared."

"So was I, little girl." He told her as he lifted her onto his shoulders and headed towards the ferry to take them to America.

* * *

"Max, come along." Diane Evans called to her son. 

"Mom, who are all these people?"

"They come from other parts of the world." His father answered with a deep disdain in his voice.

"Didn't we?" Asked Max.

"Way before the revolution, we came from England, Max."

"Where are they from?" He stopped and looked at the boat full of people. A little girl caught his eye. She looked to be about his age.

Her eyes were large and brown as he stared at her. Her face was dirty and she held tight to an older man's hand. "Come along, Elizabeth."

Max and Liz stopped to stare at each other. "They come from Ireland, come Max." Diane grabbed his hand and pulled her along behind her.

He turned to look at her once more but she was gone.

**TBC?**


	2. Getting Hired

_1903, Outside New York City_

She couldn't work in another factory her lungs hurt and she was tired. Her mama had told her that this position had been open for several weeks.

She walked wearily to the side door. She hoped she didn't look too shabby she had tried to straighten up. Mama had coached her on what to wear, and what to say to the wealthy families in town since her mother worked in one herself.

This job paid well and hopefully, with Kyle and Serena's income from the factory she would be able to save up and go to nursing school, as well as keep Cassidy out of factory life. The former was foremost on her mind. Cassidy had come home from work today coughing, sputtering and wheezing, Kyle was, at the moment, going down to the factory to resign his daughter's position.

"Can I help you miss?" The young woman opened the door.

Good Lord she was English. She was not going to make this easy. "I came to interview for the position of a maid that I have heard about." Liz tried desperately to erase the lilt that she still had in her voice.

"You are Irish, then?" The lady looked down her nose at her.

"Yes, ma'am." Liz told her.

"From the factory, I presume?"

"Yes, ma'am." It was like this at every house she had gone to.

"Come along, then, I don't have all day." The woman turned around walked through the kitchen. The house was quite large and the kitchen and dining room took up a good portion of the bottom floor.

"Sit here, I'll go retrieve Mrs. Higgins, she shall tell you if we will hire you."

A few moments later an old woman and the young woman returned. "Here she is, Mrs. Higgins, another Irish from the factory."

"Thank you, Martha that is all I needed." The woman dusted her hands on her apron as she dismissed Martha.

"What is your name?" This woman had no trace of an accent and so Liz could not place where she was from.

"My name is Elizabeth Parker." Liz replied.

"And when did you come to America?" The old woman asked kindly.

"When I was eight years old, in 1895." She spoke quietly.

"It's alright, don't be afraid to look me in the eye. I'm no more a servant than you are. Just because I'm given the position of housekeeper doesn't mean I'm better than you."

"Thank you." Liz looked up. She was suddenly more relaxed.

"How often are you able to work and what are you able to do?"

"I'm able to work whenever you need me to and I can be taught to do anything." She said desperately.

"Well then, when can you start?"

"Today, if possible." Liz said with hopeful eyes.

"Come along then. We have to find you a new uniform." She turned and Liz followed.

"Mrs. Higgins!" A young man entered the room. "Father just told me I'll be going to the Southwest to run the business out there, he needs a new manager, and he selected me."

"Well, now." Mrs. Higgins beamed. "Mr. Evans, when did you earn yourself the honor of running one of your father's business?"

"Since I graduated this past week, Mrs. Higgins." He said proudly.

Liz was stunned. This man was handsome. More handsome than any man she had ever seen, and she'd been looking.

As if sensing eyes on her the man looked at her. Their eyes locked. Liz's breathing hitched in her throat, she could get lost in those eyes.

"Hello, I don't believe we've met before." He extended a hand.

Did he mean to shake her hand? She was merely a servant girl.

"Hello." She returned shyly as a blush crept up her cheeks.

"This is our new girl. Her name is Elizabeth Parker." Mrs. Higgins introduced. "Max Evans, son of Phillip Evans."

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Parker." He turned.

"Mr. Evans." She looked at him. The Phillip Evans. One of the wealthiest men in New York. This was his son.

He smiled.

It was disarming, that smile. She was stunned.

"Well, I was just about to show Miss Parker the ropes, if you'll excuse us." Mrs. Higgins stepped around him and through the door.

"Have we met before?" Max took a step closer.

"I don't think so." Liz shook her head. But his eyes were so familiar.

They stood staring at each other for a little while longer.

"Miss Parker!"

"I better go." Liz scurried out of the kitchen without further conversation.

* * *

"Mama, I got the job." Elizabeth unwrapped her coat.

Her mother looked up from the sewing she took in for the house she worked at.

"That's wonderful, Elizabeth, Cassidy, stop playing so close to the clothes." She informed her daughter and granddaughter.

"Where's Papa?" Liz asked, setting her things aside and then getting her sewing needle out to help her mother.

"Out."

Liz didn't ask anymore because she knew what that meant. Sometime in the middle of the night Kyle would drag his drunken body off the street and into the apartment.

"You don't seem that surprised, Mama." Liz looked at the hole in the knee of the pants she was sewing and was happy she didn't have any little boys' clothes in their family to mend.

"About your Papa? Why should I be?"

"About my job." Liz slid easily into the familiar accent of home. The temptation to slide into Gaelic was even greater, but it was forbidden in their workplaces so they chose to speak only English at home as well.

"They needed someone to work and you came along, there's nothing surprising about that." Her mother explained. "Please start dinner, Kyle and Serena will be home soon."

"Yes, Mama." Her mother had shut down, there would be no more conversations until dinner was ready.

Ever since coming to America, her mother had been tightlipped, running a shrewd and uptight household. Everything was precise, and Mama always had the last word, even over Kyle, whose name the apartment was in.

* * *

Liz pulled on her coat as she exited the house through the side door. It had been three months since she started working for the Evans and was adjusted to her work schedule. The conditions were far more favorable to her than life at the factory.

And the view was definitely better.

She had run into the young Mr. Evans on numerous accounts. At meal times it was unavoidable now that she served them.

She could feel his eyes watching her every move as she worked around the table. It made her hands shake and made her unsteady which angered and frustrated her.

She was even wearier because the household had been preparing for the arrival of Max's older sister, who was currently carrying the first of the next generation of Evans.

"Miss Parker!" She heard a whispered voice.

She spun around quickly to come face to face with Max.

"Mr. Evans." She said stunned.

"Sorry, if I startled you." He apologized. "I needed to speak with you."

"Was there something you needed?" She asked. Her heart was still beating frantically within her chest.

"No, well, yes." He stepped closer. She took a step back.

"Do I frighten you, Miss Parker?" He asked giving her a hurt look.

"Of course not." She shook her head. "It's just, I-my brother warns me from men." More like men of his station. Men who looked down on people like her.

"Really?" He questioned. "Your brother is a smart man."

"I like to think so."

He wanted to keep her talking. He loved the slight accent, she hid it well, but it still added something attractive to her voice.

How could he think a servant girl attractive? He had been raised better than that.

"You are Irish, Miss Parker."

"Yes." She lifted her chin. Many people looked down on her because of that.

"It's alright." He disregarded everything his father had ever told him.

"Is there something you wanted?"

"I just wanted to say hello." He couldn't think of a real reason he had stopped her.

"Oh. Well I have to be going along, my brother will worry." She pulled her wrap around her and hurried away.

"Goodnight, Miss Parker."

* * *

Liz brushed her feet on the rug on the inside of the door. "Aunt Liz!" Her eldest niece greeted her.

"Hello, Cassidy." She picked up the five year old. "Where's your Mummy?"

"In back." Cassidy smiled and held onto her favorite—albeit only—aunt.

Liz walked the few feet it took to get to the kitchen.

"Hello, Liz." Serena's accent was even thicker than Liz's. "I was just going to start that."

"No go rest." Liz directed. Serena was heavily pregnant with her second child.

"No, I'll help. You've been working all day as surely as I've been."

"But you forget, I am only sixteen, while you are going on twenty three, and you're carrying."

"Carrying what?" Cassidy asked.

"Nothing." Both Serena and Liz answered with a smile.

"Well, I am tired." Serena conceded and sat across from her daughter.

"I don't know what we're going to do once I have to take leave from the factory, Liz."

"I make enough from the Evans' that you don't have to worry, Serena." Liz told her. "Don't worry about it."

"We weren't planning for another one, Liz. Really. We knew what trouble and strain it would have on the family. Thank you so much for your help." Serena had tears in her eyes. They both knew the family was barely keeping their head afloat with everyone working, save Cassidy. With a new baby it was an added burden on them, but it was one no one minded adding.

"I know. But you're not sorry, and neither am I." She waited for Serena to shake her head in the negative.

"No, I'm not. You're a strong girl, Liz."

"Only because I have you to lean on. Now I'm going to start dinner." Liz stood up abruptly.

* * *

She got off work late the next day and knew that Kyle would either meet her on the way or would already be out there.

"Miss Parker."

"Mr. Evans." She said. She didn't want anything to do with him. Kyle had warned her away from men of the upper class because they didn't respect girls like her.

"Miss Parker, where do you live?" He asked.

"That is none of your concern, sir." She said her eyes widening.

"Oh, but it is, Miss Parker." He took a step closer to her.

"Mr. Evans, please." She stepped back. She was trembling but she wasn't afraid of him. She knew she had no reason to be.

"Please what, Miss Parker?" He asked as he backed her into the wall of the shed, completely out of the view of the house.

"Please…" She didn't know. The young man was handsome, and unlike the lads she was used to he smelled good, he was freshly shaven and he was beautifully clean.

"Would you object if I kissed you, Miss Parker?"

She didn't answer, she knew she should say no to his kiss but she didn't want to.

He took her silence as acquiescence.

She was pulled into a world that she'd never been to before. Everything was spinning and the only still thing to hold on to was Max. Her arms wrapped around his neck of their own accord. His hand came up to her chin to open her mouth and when she realized what he wanted she complied.

He pulled back and she rested her head on his chest.

"You can trust me, Miss Parker." He told her gently.

She couldn't, what would a man of his station want with her?

"Sit, Miss Parker." He directed her to a bench. "Tell me about yourself, please." He said.

Against her better judgment, she told him all her plans to become a nurse, her life and all of her ambitions. She didn't know what made her feel safe or comfortable with divesting all her information. Before she knew it the sun had gone down.

"Mr. Evans, I insist I must go." She stood feeling foolish. Talking about dreams to such a person! Kyle would surely be out and he'd be angry. "I believe I must have bored you with my talk."

"No, Liz, you are a dreamer." It was refreshing from the girls he had known in society. "Please, call me Max." He took her hand.

"Max." She said it slowly, let it roll off her tongue. "I am Liz."

"Liz, where are you?" It was Kyle's voice.

"That's my brother, he must not see you, he'll get the wrong idea." She shook out her skirt and hurried towards him. "Here I am, Kyle."

"Where have you been?" He stepped out.

"Here." Stay where you are, Max. She thought to herself, willing him to hear her. Just stay.

"She was with me." He wasn't listening.

"Max."

"Liz, start home." Kyle ordered her.

"Kyle."

"Now." His voice didn't leave any room for argument.

"I meant your sister no harm, sir."

"I'm sure you didn't. Men of your caliber have perfect intentions toward ladies, don't they? But my sister wouldn't fit in your category of a lady, Mr. Evans. I do not want her to be around you. You will not ruin her, she is an upstanding girl in our community and I would like to keep it that way."

"I have no intention of hurting her, Mr. Parker. But I commend you on your attempts to protect your sister."

"Do you have a sister, Mr. Evans?"

"Why, yes." He nodded.

"Then you know the protectiveness I feel?"

"Absolutely." Max nodded.

"But you don't know the helplessness I feel. I can only protect my sister to a certain extent. Against men like you, I'm powerless. I would appreciate it if you were to stay away from her."

"I can't promise you that." Max turned his back on the older man and made the way back to the house.

"Come along, Elizabeth." Kyle called. Liz flinched at the use of her full name but followed her brother after one last glance back at Max.

**tbc**


	3. Cassidy and Logan

**Chapter 3**

Max and Isabel walked into the sitting room; Max anxiously making sure his sister was situated.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'd feel better if you stopped hovering, baby brother." Isabel smiled at him.

"I have to, you have my nephew in there."

"Max!" She blushed wildly.

Liz straightened when she heard them enter the room. "Excuse me." She said and turned to leave the room. She held the dust rag behind her back.

"Miss Parker!" Max greeted with a smile. "This is my sister."

He could not be introducing her. Servants went unnoticed. She shouldn't have even said anything.

"My pleasure, Mrs. Whitman." Liz mumbled before turning around to leave.

"Wait, Miss Parker."

Would he just let her leave? She wasn't a maid to be summoned, she cleaned and served dinner, and if he wanted something he should call someone else. "Yes, Mr. Evans?"

"Why don't you join us?"

"Max, I'm sure she has plenty of things to do with her time." Isabel told her brother pointedly.

"Yes, Mr. Evans, if you will excuse me, we have a lot to prepare for." She waited for leave.

"My apologies." He mumbled and signaled his permission to leave.

"Mr. Evans, Mrs. Whitman." Liz said fully embarrassed.

* * *

Max chided himself, he didn't know what had gotten over him. He knew better than that. One never asks a servant to join. He had done nothing but cause suspicion, on both his part, and Liz's. He had embarrassed Liz.

Standing to look out the window he startled when he heard Isabel's voice.

"Max, what has gotten into you?" Isabel asked.

"Nothing." He said and looked out the window. Liz had carried a load of sheets out. Setting them on the table she tied on her apron. She threw one over the line, and then stood on tip-toe to put the pin on. She was so short. He smiled as he watched her stretch time and time again.

"You're obsessed with that little servant girl."

"No." He shook his head.

"You are." Her brother had always been a stickler for propriety. "You would never have made a blunder like that. What is she to you, Max?"

Max didn't like what his sister was implying, at all. She scowled at her. "Nothing." She brushed off a sheet that had fallen and he could imagine her soft voice reprimanding herself. She set the sheet aside and picked up the basket. She turned and looked up at the house, caught sight of Max and stopped all movement. They stared for endless moments and then Max remembered his sister was still there. "She means absolutely nothing to me."

* * *

Liz felt Isabel's eyes on her at dinner. What she must think of her. She kept her hands steady as she carefully laid each dish on the table.

"It looks wonderful, Miss Parker." Isabel casually remarked.

"Thank you, I shall give your thanks to Mrs. Higgins." Liz said, trying not to let her see her hands fumble.

Conversation continued on around her. Liz looked at the clock and realized she would get home later, which meant she would have to walk home after dark. She had told Kyle that she was expected to stay late and not to worry, but she knew he would anyway.

"Miss Parker." Mrs. Higgins called from the kitchen.

Liz looked up and walked to the side door.

"There is a young man waiting for you at the side door. He insists he talk to you. I'll take over for you here, dear."

"Thank you." Liz hurried through the door.

"Lizzie." Kyle called.

"Kyle, what are you doing here?" Liz asked surprised.

"I came to walk you home."

"I won't be off for at least another two hours, Kyle."

"I know, I'll just wait here for you until you're off."

"Kyle, Serena and Cassidy are at the apartment by themselves, you need to go to them."

"I'm not going to let you walk home by yourself, Lizzie." He said and took a seat on the step. "I'll wait here, you go on and do your job, Mama is with them, you don't have to worry about it."

"What was that all about?" Mrs. Higgins asked.

"My brother is a bit of overprotective." Liz told her as she returned to the dining room.

"That's sweet of him to wait for you." Mrs. Higgins said. "I'll tell him to come in and make him something to eat in the kitchens."

Liz rolled her eyes and returned to her post at the sideboard.

Liz slipped her shawl around her shoulders and waited for Kyle to join her.

"So there was a party tonight?" Kyle asked as he swung an arm around her.

"The oldest daughter from upstate came home for a week, and so there was a celebratory dinner."

"So you're going to be working late every night this week."

"Yeah." Liz said. "It's extra pay."

"That's wonderful." He smiled. "You can put that towards nursing school."

Liz beamed "I'm so close to my dream Kyle. Just a few more years and I'll be able to go."

"I wish we could get you there sooner."

"We're trying." Liz said. "And we're doing better than most. And Cassidy doesn't have to work." Liz said happily. "I'd work as a servant girl for the rest of my life as long as our children can stay out of the factories."

"I know, Liz." He shuddered. His life as a bricklayer was preferably better to the early days in America as a factory boy.

* * *

"Aunt Liz!" Cassidy said when Liz stepped out the back door at the Evans' house the next evening.

"Cassidy, where's your mummy and daddy."

"I'm here." Kyle said standing up. "Serena's at home with Logan."

"Logan?" Liz asked. Then her eyes widened with happiness.

"My new brother. Mummy brought him home today." Cassidy said excitedly.

"Did she?" Liz stroked her hair as she held her. "How is she doing?"

"She's tired, but she's doing well." Kyle beamed proudly. "Baby too."

"I'll tell Mrs. Higgins to give me a few days off so I can help with Cassidy."

"No." Kyle said firmly.

"Kyle." Liz set Cassidy on the ground and turned to go speak with Mrs. Higgins.

"Mrs. Higgins." Liz said quietly walking into the kitchen.

"Is there something you needed?" The old woman looked up startled.

"Actually, my brother's wife just had their second child, today, and they have a four year old. Is it possible that I could take a few days leave to help care for the young girl?"

"She's four you say?" Mrs. Higgins asked.

"Yes." Liz nodded.

"We're tightly pressed for help right now, with Isabel being home." Mrs. Higgins sighed. "Is she a good girl?"

"Yes. Cassidy is the best one could ask for." She said.

"You could bring her to work with you. If she's as good as you say, and she heeds the orders of adults she won't do any harm here." Mrs. Higgins smiled.

"Would you like to meet her first?" Liz asked. "She's here now."

"That would be nice."

"Cassie, come here." Liz called through the door.

Cassidy came running forward.

"How would you like to come to work with me?" Liz asked.

"Could I?"

"If you're really good, and listen to your aunt."

"I will, I will." Cassidy nodded quickly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Higgins." Liz said quickly.

"It'll be fun to have a little one in the house again." Mrs. Higgins said. "Don't worry about being a little late tomorrow." She called.

"We won't be late." Liz promised. And dashed out the door to tell Kyle the good news.

* * *

Max watched the young girl that had the same color hair as Liz and whose greeting wasn't that of a stranger. He could see how her entire face lit up when she saw her. Who was she, sister, cousin, niece?

She returned the smile just as easily and looked quite cozy with her. He wanted to be that familiar with her, to be the one to cause her laughter.

How could he be jealous of the life that she lived? He had the world at his feet and he was jealous of the ones who bowed down to him? He shook his head as if to clear the unwanted thought.

It wasn't fair that someone as pretty as her had to work so hard. She should have someone catering at her feet. She deserved it.

How did he know if she deserved it? He didn't even know her.

His heart sank as he turned from the window.

* * *

Liz sighed when she heard her parents inside. "Papa came home tonight?"

"He has a job." Kyle rolled his eyes as he came up the stairs with a sleeping Cassidy in his arms.

"Since when?" Liz pushed the door open.

"He came home today with a new contract, we couldn't exactly turn him out could we?" Kyle said. "Mama's ok with it. As long as he has a job he can stay, and he has to leave Serena and Logan alone."

"Hello, Papa." Liz greeted him as she took off her cloak. "I heard you have a job."

"Shut up girl, and get started on supper." He snarled at her.

"You never change, do you Papa?" Liz walked to the kitchen, not liking her father's changes since they moved to America. It was supposed to be the land of dreams, but it had become a nightmare.

"Serena, I've come to see my new nephew." Liz entered their only bedroom. "How are you?"

"Great." Serena held up the tiny bundle. "He's strong, and hungry."

"I'm glad, oh, he looks like his Daddy." Liz smiled.

"I know." Serena said proudly.

"Do you want anything?" Liz asked her sister-in-law.

"No, Mama's been taking really good care of me." She said. "Or until Papa came home. They've been fighting since four and it's given me a headache and it keeps waking up Logan. I don't like to complain, but I think I'm entitled."

"I know, I'll see what I can do, although Kyle had them quieted down." Liz said.

"I'm starting to think Papa's scared of him." Serena said proud of her husband.

"He has to be, the apartment is in Kyle's name. He has no where to go without this." She smiled, also proud of her brother. "Kyle's come a long way from what we were back in Ireland."

"I know." Serena said. She had come over later than Kyle but when he had found her wandering lost on the street they had fallen instantly in love. "He's wonderful, Liz. I hope you find someone like him."

"Me too." She sighed, and wondered what kind of man she would end up with.

"Serena, when you met Kyle how did he make you feel? Did you know he would be the one you would marry?"

"Well, no." She said slowly. "Not right then. I was lost, frightened and alone when I had found Kyle—or rather he found me. Marrying was the last thing on my mind, but he did make my heart go a fluttering. I suppose I had taken a liking to him, but not the marrying sort. But now, I know it was always there, I just didn't recognize it."

Liz was silent and tried to recall what her feelings for Max were. He was the son of one of the richest men in America, and she his mother's servant girl.

"Is there someone you're feeling for?" Serena asked quietly.

"No." She shook her head a little too quickly.

"It's better for you if you admit it, honey, if you don't you might lose him."

"I'll not lose him," she whispered to her sister in law in Gaelic, "I'll never have him." She stood abruptly and exited the room.

**TBC**


	4. Going to school

Thanks for all the wonderful comments! I'm glad that everyone is liking this.

I know I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself right now because further down the line there is bound to be a lull in postings but I'm on a high right now. I just got the acceptance letter from the college that I've wanted to go to since I was in eighth grade. I'm so happy right now, so I figured I'd do something good with that energy!

For some reason the page breaks aren't working so I'm sorry that it all seems to run together! 

**Chapter 4**

"Come on, Cassidy, time to get up." Liz whispered. She tried not to wake Serena or Kyle.

"Aunt Liz?" Cassidy asked.

"Yes, put your clothes on and your shoes, we've got to leave." She said. "Hurry up, I let you sleep in as long as I could, love. We'll have to hurry."

Cassidy got dressed quickly and was waiting by the door when Liz got there with everything they needed.

"No lunch?"

"No." Liz said. "Mrs. Higgins makes us lunch."

"Alright." Cassidy said, her excitement showing despite the early hour.

"Be a good girl, Cassie." Kyle called from the bedroom doorway. "Or you can't go with Aunt Liz again."

"I will, Daddy." Cassidy said excitedly.

"Alright, let's go." Kyle said.

"Where are you going, Kyle, you don't need to leave for another hour?" Liz asked.

"I'll walk you out of the neighborhood." He said.

"Alright." Liz got the message. He wouldn't stop worrying about her if he didn't see her out of the neighborhood himself.

"Hello, Miss Cassidy." Mrs. Higgins greeted them when they reached the house.

"Hello, Ma'am." Cassidy said delighted at the huge house.

"Come in, Cassidy. There is some hot chocolate and toast for you at the table." She said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Higgins." Liz said. "You'll have her bending to your every whim now." Liz smiled.

"Good. We have a lot of work to do today." Mrs. Higgins said.

"Come, Cassidy, and be quiet." Liz whispered as she entered the master suite.

"Set that down there." Liz whispered. Cassidy gladly put the heavy pot down. "Now move."

Cassidy backed up so Liz could poor the heated water into it. "Now come along, don't slam the door."

Cassidy scurried after her, always remaining three steps behind her.

A few hours later she returned to the master suite, Cassidy holding a tray of biscuits steadily.

She followed Liz into the room and waited for further direction.

"Put it here." Liz said.

"Good morning, Miss Parker." Mrs. Evans greeted. "And who might this be?" She looked down at the little girl.

"Good morning, Mrs. Evans. This is my niece Cassidy. Mrs. Higgins gave me permission to bring her along today. She has a new brother as of yesterday."

"Cassidy." Mrs. Evans' eyes shined. "You're a good little helper."

"Thank you, ma'am." Cassidy said shyly.

"Come here." Mrs. Evans took a fascination in the young girl.

Cassidy obediently walked closer.

"Closer."

Mrs. Evans reached out a hand to her hair. "How old are you?"

"I'll be five on the eleventh." She said.

"Wow, that's a nice age, are you going to go to school?"

Liz started at the question.

"Yes." Cassidy nodded.

"Very good. What school?"

"Washington ma'am." Liz answered for her.

"A good school." Mrs. Evans nodded.

"Yes." Liz said. It was public, it wouldn't be the best. "If you would excuse us, Mrs. Evans, we have things to get done."

"Of course." Mrs. Evans gave them leave and they both scurried out of the room.

Cassidy followed Liz dutifully around the house stopping only when Liz did at noon to lunch and then move along in her day.

Later in the evening when Cassidy was resting in a kitchen chair Mrs. Higgins bustled in. "Miss Parker, the missus wishes to speak to you."

"Alright." Liz looked up from the board she was scrubbing. She wiped her hands clean on her apron before removing it. Cassidy moved to get up.

"No, love. Stay there." Liz told her.

She yawned and nodded.

Liz made her way into the front sitting room.

"You wished to speak with me?" Liz asked.

"About your niece." Mrs. Evans started. "Is she a bright girl?"

"Yes, ma'am. She already writes her letters and can read fairly well."

"Very good. What are your ambitions for her?"

"Anything, as long as she doesn't have to work in a factory at her tender age or ever, or serve some rich family." Liz looked down blushing. She had let her words run. "I apologize, Mrs. Evans."

"No, it's alright, I understand." She smiled. "Well not really, but, well I'll get to the point. I like that little girl."

"Mrs. Evans, you don't even know her." Liz said.

"I know her enough that I don't want to see her grow up as another maid or factory worker." Mrs. Evans pressed. "She will go to school, a private school. Understood?"

"Mrs. Evans, I-we would love to send Cassidy to a private school but there is no way we're able to afford it." Liz looked down. Her accent grew heavy as she became more stubborn and embarrassed.

"Exactly. I want to take the girl in under my care."

"Mrs. Evans." Liz grew bolder. "We may not live in the best conditions and Cassidy might not attend the best schools but she will live with her mother and father, and she is perfectly happy that way." Her eyes flamed and her accent was back full force.

"I know." Mrs. Evans told her. "Miss Cassidy will live with her family. She will come to work with you every morning until she starts school. I will pay her one penny everyday she comes. That penny will go towards anything she wants. I will pay her schooling, dresses, and anything other thing pertaining to her schooling."

"Mrs. Evans, you cannot." Liz shook her head. "What will happen when she comes of age? She cannot just show up in society like she belongs there, who would marry her?"

"And why not?" Mrs. Evans. "You agreed with me, you want what is best for her, correct?"

"Yes." Liz nodded. "But Mrs. Evans. That is too much."

"Nonsense. My husband has more money than he can ever hope to spend. Doing this will help a child."

"And when she's seventeen? Where will that leave her, Mrs. Evans, she has the education of an upper crust girl but the funds of the lowest in the city." Liz asked again defiantly.

"She'll have her come out, of course." Mrs. Evans stated slowly, as if talking to down to her.

"Who will marry her?" She bit out angrily. "Who will accept the poor daughter of Irish immigrants? Who will allow their sons to marry her, their daughters to be her friends?"

"Everyone, Mr. Evans has a large influence, my dear."

"Not so large as to change who Cassidy Parker is." Liz said more quietly.

"You'd be surprised." Mrs. Evans had a strong respect for the way the young girl was talking to her.

"You're only sixteen, Miss Parker?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Think about it; talk it over with her parents." Mrs. Evans directed.

"I'll discuss it with her parents." Liz told her. "It's a wonderful opportunity."

"Yes it is." Diane Evans said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Evans. This is very nice of you." Liz said. "I'm willing to work more hours, if need be."

"Nonsense. If you worked more hours you couldn't go to nursing school."

"How did you know?"

"Max told me. He's very concerned about you." Mrs. Evans said.

"Why?" Liz asked suspicious.

"I don't know." Mrs. Evans shook her head. "Well, I'm sure you have duties to attend to. We'll discuss the details of schooling later. Go on."

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Evans." Liz said.

"You're an admirable young lady, Miss Parker." Mrs. Evans smiled at the girl as she dismissed her.

"I'm not a lady, Mrs. Evans." She curtsied and exited the room.

"You'd be surprised, my dear." Mrs. Evans said to the closed door.

"What did her parents think of it, Miss Parker?" Mrs. Evans asked the next morning.

"Her father was a little nervous, prideful, but his wife convinced him it would be for the best." Liz said wearily. They had stayed up late into the night convincing Kyle the good of it. "But he said if there was anything you wanted. If you ever need anything repaired, painted, destroyed, he will do it, if he can, if he can't he'll find the cheapest person."

"That is very kind of him."

"He's full of pride. Cassidy and Logan are the center of their world." Liz said.

"Send the girl to me please."

Liz did and she didn't see Cassidy again till she was getting ready to leave.

"Mrs. Evans says I'm going to go to a private school!" Cassidy was bouncing with excitement. "Wait until I tell Mummy and Daddy."

"They already know." Liz said.

"Oh. Mrs. Evans says she's going to buy me new dresses and pretty things." Cassidy relayed as they wiped their feet on the mat inside their apartment. "And she even said I can grow my hair out not short like the factory girls."

"Is that what she told you?" Serena asked walking into the kitchen.

"You're up Mummy!" She hugged her.

"Yes." Serena smiled at her. "I see you're going to go to school."

"Yes!" Cassidy shrieked.

Later that night, when Cassidy was asleep, Kyle, Serena, Liz and Nancy Parker sat around the table, as usual they didn't know where Jeff Parker was.

"I'm sorry, Kyle. I know it's hard for you to accept, but I didn't want to offend Mrs. Evans."

"I know." Kyle looked over at his daughter. "She's smart. She'll do well in a private school. I just feel funny using somebody else's kindness, and for such a long period of time."

"She'll be well taken care of, and she'll get a good education." Serena tried to justify. "I just wish we could do it." She leaned her head on Kyle.

Liz's heart yearned for that kind of connection, and her mind began to drift towards Max. Her cheeks flushed when she thought of him and she looked down.

"It still seems kind of odd to me." Kyle stated looking at his little sister. "What exactly did you say to the young Mr. Evans?"

"Nothing." Liz shook her head insistently.

"Liz?" Nancy studied her only daughter. "Did something happen between you and Mr. Evans?"

"No, nothing." Liz said again and stood. "If you'll excuse me?"

"Sit, Liz." Nancy said sternly. "Kyle, why would you ask about Mr. Evans?" Nancy's heart was racing when she looked at her daughter.

"No reason, Mama." Liz stammered desperately hoping her brother wouldn't tattle.

"Kyle." Nancy said more adamantly.

Throwing an apologetic look at his sister, he launched into his story of when he had caught Liz and Max behind the Evans home three months earlier.

"Elizabeth, is this true?" Nancy asked her heart was pounding. Not her daughter, this couldn't be happening to her, not again.

"Yes, Mama, but nothing happened." She said quietly not looking at anybody.

"Have you had any contact with him since them?"

"Yes, Mama," she said truthfully.

"Has he done anything inappropriate?"

"No." Liz said, she hated lying, but if she told them that he had kissed her who knew what would happen.

"See that it doesn't, Elizabeth." Nancy stood up and went to the door, grabbing her coat. "Maybe it would be best if we refused Mrs. Evans' offer and Liz will get employment elsewhere."

"We can't refuse." Kyle stood as well. It was well past dark and he didn't want his mother going out. "Where are you going?"

"Out, Kyle, stay here and take care of your family. Elizabeth…" She started to say something but shook her head and closed the door behind her.

Kyle followed her out only to see that she got out of the building.

"Oh, Liz." Serena said, once they were alone, she reached across the table and took her hand in hers.

Liz removed her hand and went to her bed. She pulled the cover over her head and laid there, hoping for sleep. It wasn't to be, she was still awake when the grandfather clock struck five for her to wake up. Her mother still wasn't home.

Nancy Parker strode out on the sidewalk and went the opposite direction of where she wanted, needed to be. Kyle was watching and she had to go the other way to catch the last tram. If she didn't hurry she'd miss the eleven o'clock out of the city and she'd have to walk the whole way.

Pulling out the extra money he had given her to visit him, she paid her fare and took a seat. Her mind was racing, not Liz, not her baby Elizabeth.

She stepped off the tram despite the looks she got from the passengers about where she was.

Nancy pulled her coat tighter around her as she neared the house. The row of carriages were evidence of a party. She cursed and went around back to the servant's entrance. She crept up the back steps and pushed the door open. The room was dark. It was only past midnight, he wouldn't be up for another hour or two.

Pulling off her coat, she sat on the wing backed chair and waited.

**TBC**


	5. Wassailing

I know I said this would be all conventional coupling, but I added one unconventional. It's nothing major but it's just for the storyline to run smoothly. It makes sense, well at least to me. Just as a warning.

Oh and to answer one question: Yes Michael and Maria will be in this, but I'm not quite sure where I want them yet. There are two places in my mind and they both work perfectly. So it may be a while before we see them.

I'm sorry for the wait. Between three band concerts, a choir concert, and a band/choir concert, and rehearsals for all three I don't have a lot of time. Mix in the holidays and FAFSA forms, it's been a nightmare. Should be smoother these next two weeks though.

Thanks for all the feedback, it makes me happy.

**Chapter 5**

"Nancy." He said soon as he walked into the room he knew she was there, he could feel her.

"James." She stated. Her heart thumped in her chest. She had seen him only hours before but it seemed like forever.

"What's wrong?" He knew there must be something wrong for her to come to him like this, in the night.

"It's happening again, John, all over again." She stated, her voice cracking.

"What's happening?" He crossed the room and sank down on his knees before her and took her hands, his eyes searching for something.

"Our daughter, Jim, she's falling for Max Evans." She said and broke down in tears. She had held them in for her family's sake, but here in her love's arms she didn't need to be so strong.

"Oh, Nancy." He lifted her and sat her on his lap in the chair. "Are you sure?"

"Almost positive. I won't let her do it, I'll send her back to Ireland if I have to, I'm not letting her give up her life for something that can never be." She said vehemently, before her body was overtaken by sobs.

"That didn't keep us from each other did it?" He asked, with a smile. "The Evans have millions, darling, and those millions can have a long arm."

"Did I make a mistake bringing them back here?"

"No, my darling." He held her close. "No, we should tell her, Nancy."

"Do you think so?" She sat up and looked him in the eye.

"Yes." Gently he nudged her off his lap. "Maybe we can make this work, Nancy. I still don't have an heir."

"I know, why didn't you ever marry, Jim?" She asked looking at the floor.

"Because the only woman I've ever loved was already taken." He answered honestly. "Come here, this is what we'll do."

"Jim, are you…do you…is it possible for Kyle to be your heir?"

He smiled at her, but it wasn't a happy smile, but one full of hope. "We can try."

"Jim, if it is possible, are you going to bring Liz into society?"

"If you would like that, yes." He nodded.

"I would like that very much, for her sake."

"And what about you?" He asked softly raising her chin to look at him. "What do you want me to do with you?"

"I'm still married." She said sadly. "Not me, but our daughter would glow Jim."

He nodded and went to his drawer. "Come here, darling I'll show you what you need to do."

* * *

"Morning, Miss Parker." Max greeted as he walked into one of the rooms she was cleaning. "Where's your shadow?"

"With your mother, picking out new dresses." She put the cloth down and looked at him.

"Really?" He smiled and folded his hands behind his back. "I bet she's enjoying that."

"Yes, she is, Mr. Evans." She said with anger in her voice. "What little girl wouldn't?"

"You're angry." He said walking closer.

She didn't answer him but picked up the rag and continued to polish the wooden cabinet. "I'm busy, Mr. Evans, please leave me to my duties."

"Liz, look at me." He walked closer and took the rag from her hand.

Her hands were still but she still kept her chin down.

"Darling, please look at me." He said quietly.

"This is inappropriate, Mr. Evans, please leave me." She squeaked out.

"Why are you angry?" He asked. It was then that she noticed there was true concern in his voice. There was none of the snobbery she had thought was there. He was always nice to her, never really ignoring her, treating her like one of his own—which she was not.

"You had no right to tell your mother about me, Mr. Evans. Now we're forced to live off her charity, not that we don't appreciated it, but we would offend her if we didn't, which in turn insults my brother's pride."

"Is that all you're angry about?" He said with a smile.

"All, all?" She exploded in a string of Gaelic. It was a beautiful language even if she was cursing at him. Her face was a wonderful shade of red. She cut off abruptly when she realized what language she was speaking. "I'm sorry, Mr. Evans I know we're not supposed to speak it."

"No, no, it's a nice language." He smiled at her. "I apologize if my mother offended you, Liz, I thought it would be a great help to you."

"Oh it is, we love that she's going to go to a good school, Mr. Evans, but Kyle wants to do it himself. No, his pride isn't so great he'll deny it his daughter but it hurts him, deeply."

"But you're working it off, are you not?"

"No, not really." She shook her head.

"Don't worry about it." He whispered to her as his lips took hers.

Before she knew it she was pinned against the wall her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. His hands were roaming everywhere and she knew she should stop him but it felt too good. There was no harm in just touching was there? His mouth left hers and made a trail down her throat, automatically she lifted her head to give him better access. Then his mouth was on hers again.

She dropped the rag she was holding and the thought made her remember where she was. He lifted his head when she stopped responding. "Liz." He said her name quietly leaning his forehead on hers.

Her eyes searched his. Her body was aching for his touch; her mouth wanted his on hers again. But it couldn't be. Tears of frustration started down her cheek.

"What's wrong, darling?" He asked.

"Mr. Evans, you can't, we can't be together." She said and tried to push him away.

"Liz…" He said again.

"Stop, Mr. Evans." She pleaded, before her voice broke. "I have, I have to get Cassidy, and it's time for us to be going home."

"No, Liz we have to talk." He wouldn't let her move.

She didn't like being imprisoned by him, but she felt safe. She wanted to stay in his arms forever and something told her that if she asked he would hold her.

"About what?" She asked. "Mr. Evans…Max, we can't let this get anywhere, we'll only get hurt." Or she would at least.

"I know." He nodded. "I just wanted to know if you felt the same way." He said quietly.

She looked into his eyes, and saw he cared for her. His eyes were specked with amber and she could get lost in them.

"You know I do." She answered honestly. "Now, Max, would you please let me pass."

"Certainly." He moved out of the way and watched her run for the door.

He closed his eyes as he collapsed on the chair. She was right this could only lead to bad things. But she fascinated him. He stood and went to the window, his favorite place for him to watch her. She was holding Cassidy's hand as she skipped happily beside her.

"Max, you need to leave her alone." His mother said gently from behind.

"I know." He said. But he wasn't so sure that he could. There was a heavy ache in his heart anytime she was around him. A yearning only her closeness could stop. It wasn't lust, he knew the difference, but he was afraid to admit what it really was.

* * *

_" Here we come a wassailing among the leaves so green"… _Cassidy sung as she made the drink and poured it into a cup. 

Liz listened to the familiar carol as she folded dough over onto it self. It had been two months, two weeks, and six days since Max Evans had kissed her. She didn't know what to do about him. Her mother knew something was going on but couldn't figure it out.

Her mother had secrets of her own.

She had warned her to stay away from him with a conviction that surprised Liz. Her mother had been introducing her to nice boys from around the neighborhood. Boys that serenaded her with ballads from their homeland, boys who had voices that caressed her inner soul with sounds of home. Boys who were not Max Evans, so she paid no attention to any of them.

"Afternoon, Miss Cassidy."

"Afternoon, Mr. Evans." Cassidy greeted happily.

"Are you getting ready to go caroling?" He asked.

"Yes," she exclaimed. "I got a new muff, it's snow white."

"That's good, I bet you look very pretty."

"Would you like to try some wassail?"

Liz was about to explain that he really didn't need to, that Cassidy wasn't the greatest cook, but she caught the look of determination on Cassidy's face and couldn't disappoint her.

Liz caught Max's eyes and shook her head—softly laughing at him.

Cassidy set the glass of liquid on the table before Max at the same time Liz set a glass of water on the counter by her, her eyes were dancing.

He took a big gulp, and almost gagged. He swallowed.

"Delicious, Miss Cassidy." He said trying to not choke.

"Thank you," She said happily, Liz never took her eyes off Max as he took another gulp, and finished off the glass.

"Would you like some more?" Cassidy asked.

"No, thank you, my mother was looking for you; she says it's time to go caroling." He sputtered.

Liz watched in fascination. She, herself had yet gotten the courage worked up to try some of what Cassidy called Wassail. Mrs. Higgins had helped her make it, but Cassidy had taken the lead.

"I'll save some for you for later." Cassidy went skipping out of the kitchen upstairs to Mrs. Evans.

Liz smirked and handed him the glass of water. "Good?"

He drank the glass in one gulp and Liz watched him try to get the taste out of his mouth. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she fell in love with him right then and there.

Max must have seen her change in face and took a step towards her.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know." She looked down, her heart thumping in her chest. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't want to look up, her heart was in her eyes—or so Kyle told her.

"I'm leaving the first of the year." He told her.

"I know." She had been thinking about that, Mrs. Evans was upset about her son going so far away, and the whole household knew it.

"You shouldn't be down here, Ma, it's not proper." She said quietly.

"It's not proper to be in love with one of my mother's servant girls is it?" He said and stepped next to her.

She looked up at him then, and realized that it was hopeless. So utterly hopeless.

"Max," she said quietly. "We can't." She pushed him back.

"Yes, we can, Liz." He took a step forward to close the space.

"Where's this going to lead us, Max, where can this possibly go?" She said her eyes accusing. "We can't get married."

"Who said anything about getting married?" He asked, before he thought.

He hadn't meant that. Max wanted to hurt himself, he needed to take those words back. He needed to be able to say them again. But the look in Liz's eyes told him it was too late, he couldn't take anything back.

"Liz I…"

She stepped back and looked up at him anger and hurt in her eyes.

He reached out to touch her.

"Don't. Do not touch me." She bit out at him. "I let you kiss me, I let you hold me, I let you _itouch/i _me. What exactly did you have in mind?" She asked seething in anger. "Just because I am who I am, doesn't mean I'm going to become your mistress. It doesn't mean I'm going to be at your every beck and call. That is not who I am, who I was raised to be. And you know what, Mr. Evans," She took a step towards him and pointed and accusing finger at him. "I don't think that's how you were raised either."

He didn't have anything to say to that and he just stared at her open-mouthed, that is not what he had meant either.

"You don't have anything to say?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

There was nothing to say to Liz, she wouldn't believe him anyway.

"Fine." She nodded. "I have other things I could be doing, if you would excuse me?" She stepped around him and exited the kitchen, so he wouldn't see her tears.

"I was going to ask you to wait for me, Liz, let me come back after I came back from the west, so I could have everything ready, for when you joined me." She had already walked out and hadn't heard a word he said.

He fell into a chair and cursed himself.


	6. Finding Liz

**Chapter 6**

Max paced outside the back door a few days following the kitchen incident. He was going to go in there right now, he was going to tell Liz exactly what he felt, exactly what he had meant by everything he'd said.

He had seen Liz and Cassidy, wrapped in warm clothes scurry into the house a little earlier. With a confidence he didn't feel, he stepped through the door.

"Liz, we have to talk." He began instantly.

Serena Parker looked up when she heard the young man's voice.

"I'm sure Liz would like to talk to you if she were here." She said with a smile. So this must be Max Evans. Liz had come home upset the other day. Serena had insisted she go lie down before Nancy Parker returned. Liz hadn't told her anything, but she knew it had to do with Max Evans.

"Oh, where is she?" Max asked, turning red.

"Aunt Liz is ill." Cassidy answered for her mother. "Her face was all red and hot this morning, so Mama sent Mummy with' me today."

"Really?" He asked, his face draining of color, "Does she have a proper physician? I'm sure my mother would hers over."

"No, no, she's in very capable hands." Serena tied off the final bow in her daughter's hair. "off you go, my sweet pea."

"Bye, Mummy. I love you." She hugged her mother and grabbed her lunch pail before turning to Max with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "I hope Aunt Liz gets better, she looked right bad when we left his morning."

Serena smiled as her daughter left the kitchen. "That was my five year old's attempt to get you to worry." Her face turned serious. "Liz needs you to stay away no matter what you may of or what happens to her. You cannot interfere with her life. Please, for both your sakes stay away from her."

"I can't do that, Mrs. Parker, excuse me." He turned and followed Cassidy out the back door.

"Miss Cassidy, wait." He called to her up the street.

She turned, her eyes were bright when she looked up at him. "I knew you'd follow me, Mr. Evans, this is our address." She handed him an envelope. "Mummy wrote it down in case I ever get lost. I've got to go, I'm going to be late now."

"Alright, hurry." Max called and turned back to the house. He ordered the carriage brought around and handed the driver the address.

"Sir, are you sure you're wanting to go here?" The driver asked, with a look of wonder. "This isn't a nice part of town, you know."

"I understand, Norton." He told the driver. "I just need you to take me there, not give your opinion."

"Sorry, sir, didn't mean to get ahead of myself." He clicked to the horses and was on his way.

* * *

The stench in the hallway had Max gagging. He didn't want to believe that Liz lived here, in these conditions. He heard coughing all the way up the staircases and up the halls. Could one of those be Liz?

He got to the door that Cassidy had written down and knocked. It took a moment, but soon the door creaked open.

"Who is it?" A male voice answered.

"Umm, is this where Elizabeth Parker lives?" He asked trying to see past the man.

"Yep, it's my daughter you're wanting. She's not here." Jeff Parker opened the door.

"Where is she?"

"Her mother took her to someone, won't tell none of us where. Girl sure did look sick today." He said. "Haven't seen anyone like that since, well…" he paused, "since my ma died, when iw as thirteen."

"She looks that bad?"

"Yeah, it's a wonder where my wife took her. Mighty cold out now. Looks like we're going to have a white Christmas."

"Yeah." Max was sick inside.

"Look, boy if you don't believe me, you can come in and have a look about yourself."

Curious about where she lived, Max stepped inside the apartment.

The quarters were cramped and with seven people living there it had to be crowded. There was a small cradle in the corner next to the bed, piled high with blankets.

The place was surprisingly clean. The stench that had been in the hall had disappeared as soon as the door was closed behind them. Liz's apron was hanging on a peg beside the stove. He went to run his hand over it.

"Lizzie did that while we were on our way over. She sat up on deck with it, she got sick below deck."

"You're Jeff Parker?"

"Yes." He said.

Liz didn't seem to open about her father, but what he had picked from Cassidy was that he was a broken down drunk, who never did anything good.

Max had the urge to hit the man. Instead he walked over to the cradle.

"They took the babe with them. There's an epidemic going through the neighborhood. Nancy said she'd take him where he would be well." He scoffed. "She always says these things, that's my Nancy 'I know what's best for our kids, Jeff." He raised his voice, mocking his wife.

"I'll be on my way." He didn't want to be anywhere near this man. He needed to get out.

"Who should I tell them stopped by?"

"No one." Max shook his head. "Thank you."

He turned and fled the neighborhood, wondering where Liz could have gone.

* * *

"How is she?" Nancy paced outside her daughter's room.

"The doctor said he's going to give her a little more medicine, and then we just have to wait."

"I don't want to wait Jim." Nancy said taking his hand. "She has always been so healthy."

"I know, the doctor said that will help. She's a fighter, our little girl can fight."

Nancy nodded. When Serena had left with Cassidy and Liz's fever had risen, she explained to Kyle where they could find help. He didn't understand why Nancy's employer would, but he had dutifully helped transport his sister to the house. There had been a lot of questions swirling in the man's eyes, but he hadn't asked, and for that she had been thankful.

Logan started to fuss in Nancy's arms, missing his mummy. "I better get him down the kitchen's, Serena said she'll be here around noon to feed him. Thank you, Jim, for keeping my family safe."

"You're welcome, and it's our family." He told her and stroked a stray hair from her eye.

"Nancy, Max Evans leaves for the west in three weeks."

"I know." Nancy said relieved.

"It won't be enough."

"I know." She said quietly. "Three thousand miles wasn't enough to keep up apart, was it Jim?"

"No." He looked at her, his eyes full of worry. "Join me tonight, there's a Christmas party. Come with me."

"No." She said firmly.

"I need to you to do this, Max Evans will be there, I need to you to go with me, we won't directly tell him who you are, but he's a bright boy and he'll figure it out. He won't tell."

"You're sure." She asked uncertainty had her shuffling the baby against her.

"Yes."

"Alright, for our daughter." She agreed and turned back down the stairs.

* * *

Max waited at the corner of the school for Cassidy. Maybe she would know where Liz would be taken. Surely Cassidy had been sick and Nancy Parker had taken her to wherever she had taken her daughter.

Walking a little further, he was anxious to find out what was taking her so long. Usually she was home by this time. The days were getting shorter so it wasn't long before dark. He was starting to worry about her and knew Serena would be too.

Then he saw her. Could it really be her? Her neat bow was lopsided, there was a tear in both her stocking and her face was tear streaked. He saw a group of girls standing behind her laughing. A young boy was helping her up, probably from the boys' school across the street.

She was limping and keeping her head high. She took her books from the boy and must have thanked him.

The boy turned and said something to the girls and then helped Cassidy along. Max immediately recognized him as the youngest of the Brightons. He was born twelve years after the last child, making him quite a scandal. But he looked exactly like the four other Brighton children to stop tongues from wagging too much.

"Cassidy." He called, dropping the formal and proper 'miss.'

She looked up at his voice. The look, even from where he could see, was one of desperation.

She dropped her books and shot for his outstretched arms. He enclosed them around her as she hit him full speed. She looked up at him, her tears now fully streaming. "Mr. Evans." She sobbed against him.

"Oh, Cassidy, darling, what happened?" He asked rubbing her back.

She didn't answer just hugged him tighter and let her tears come. She held on tight, and let her grief, and pain be let out.

"Mr. Evans." The boy stepped up to them, softly. "I don't mean to be a snitch." He looked embarrassed, his older brothers told him only little girls were snitches.

"It's alright, Jeremy." He said. "Now is a good time to be a snitch."

"Those girls, they said some mean things about Cassidy." He reached out to touch her back as well.

"Like what?" Max said.

"I got mad and started shouting at them." Cassidy said. "They were being so mean, Mr. Evans, not to me, but to Edwina. They were making fun of her, of her name because it sounds funny."

"She was just trying to help, Mr. Evans." He had seen Edwina run at Cassidy's instructions and the girls turn their hatred towards the young girl. He could still hear their voices in his head. He didn't think he could forget Cassidy yelp of pain when the first one tugged on her hair. "But she shouted in a funny language, it's one that Daddy's grooms use. Daddy says it's Gaelic."

"Oh, Cassidy." Max closed his eyes. They were going to tear her apart for being Irish.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Evans, I just got so mad, it wasn't fair, it wasn't right."

"I'm not mad at you, Cassidy." He said. "I'm happy that you stood up for her, but we're going to have to talk to my Mother."

"I know." Cassidy knew she wasn't supposed to speak Gaelic, never, not even at home.

"Thank you, Jeremy." Max stood with Cassidy firmly in his arms.

"I…I would like to go home with you, just to see that she makes it okay." He said puffing.

"I'll make sure, thank you, Jeremy." Max said with amusement. "I'm sure you're family will worry."

"No." He shook his head. "I'm seven now, I'm big enough. I would feel better if I took her home with you, Mr. Evans."

Max smiled at the boys assertiveness. "Alright, it will help if you held her books."

"Got it." He smiled and held up the books.

"Thank you."

* * *

"That was Max Evans!" Carla Delaney said appalled.

"I know!" Patricia Troy turned red faced. "Pam, my sister, wants to marry him, says he's worth a few million a year."

"Oh, bother, we just messed it up, didn't we?"

"Not if he doesn't know who we are." Pam said.

"Like that little girl will keep her mouth shut." Carla said watching them.

"If she does, Jeremy Brighton won't. He was giving us all death glares."

"Blast!" Carla said. The girls watched them disappear around the corner.

* * *

"Cassidy!" Serena saw her daughter. "What happened, oh my baby." She took her from Max's arms.

"Mummy." Cassidy went to her. "Oh, Mummy."

"Jeremy, what you see in this house, you cannot repeat, you understand?" Max said.

Jeremy nodded, he had no problem protecting Cassidy.

"What happened?" Serena turned worried eyes to Max as he explained.

"I knew this would happen, I just knew it. Kyle and I had doubts." She set her daughter on the counter and began to gather the necessary tools to clean the wounds.

"Can I help?" Jeremy asked.

"No, Jeremy." Max said quietly. "Why don't you go on home now?"

"Not yet." He settled his worried gaze on Cassidy's tear stained face.

Max knew then that the boy had a crush on Cassidy. He wouldn't go anywhere until he made sure Cassidy was alright.

"Sit down, Jeremy." Max said with reluctant admiration.

He sat and watched Cassidy intently as Serena cleaned her wounds and washed her face. She took her in her arms once she was done. "Do you want to go lay down? Daddy's going to be here soon, we're staying here. Mama came to say that it's not safe to go home."

"Aunt Liz is here?" Cassidy asked looking at Max.

"No, Mama won't say where she is, but Mama's going to stay with her." Serena explained.

"I'm going to talk to Jeremy for a little, Mummy." She said and strode to the table. "Can he stay here for dinner?"

"He'll have to ask his parents." Serena said, she didn't like this new friendship her daughter was forming.

"It'll be ok, my family's going to the party this evening." He piped up and his eyes glowed when Cassidy sat next to him.

"We'll send a maid anyway, Cassidy go change first." Serena said and turned back to her work.

"I'll be right back." Cassidy ran upstairs.

"Mr. Evans, shouldn't you be getting ready for the party tonight?"

"Yes." He stared hard at Serena's back. She looked like a grown-up version of Cassidy and from Jeremy's entranced stare, he thought so too. "You don't know where Elizabeth is?"

"No, but this time I'm not asking you." Serena looked at Max. "I'm telling you to stay away."

Max raised his chin not liking her tone. He wanted to tell her, but Jeremy was watching them in earnest and so he turned and walked out the door.

**TBC**  



	7. Finding Liz Pt2

**Chapter 7**

Max heard Mrs. Brighton come in to retrieve her son and followed her up the stairs.

"Jeremy Jonathan Brighton, what on earth do you think you are doing?" His mother looked over the young boy many times to make certain that  
he really was unharmed.

"I'm having tea with Cassidy, Mama." He said blushing as she scooped him up. "I walked her home, you got my note, didn't you Mama?"

"Yes, I did, dear." She said, then looked at Cassidy. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"Yes, Ma'am." She nodded and stood. "Are you going to take my tea mate away now?"

"Yes, I'm sorry." She patted Cassidy's hair. "Who were the girls who did this to you sweetheart?"

Cassidy looked at the floor and shifted her foot over the rug.

"It was the Troy girl, and Delaney, Mama." Jeremy filled in for her.

"Cassidy?"

She nodded but didn't look up.

Her daughters were well acquainted with them.

"Alright, I'll see you tonight, Mr. Evans."

"Bye, Jeremy." Cassidy waved.

"Goodbye." Jeremy said and blushed when his mother ushered him out of the room.

Max sat down for tea with Cassidy after Jeremy left.

"Cassidy." A voice from the doorway said a few minutes later.

"Daddy!" Cassidy jumped from the chair and dashed across the room to Kyle. Max stood as well.

"Hello, princess." He hugged her. "Mummy said you got hurt at school today."

"Yes." She said and she promptly burst into tears as he scooped her up into his arms.

* * *

Max stood against the wall, bored as usual at these things. Young ladies flitted and flirted with him while trying to get him to ask them for a dance. He gave them all a bored expression until they left him to his solitude.

"Mr. Evans." He turned when he heard his name. While he could be bored his mother wouldn't stand rudeness.

"Valenti." He said surprised to see his father's friend.

"How are you this evening?" He asked.

"Same as I always am at these things.." Max said, looking at him and noticing the brunette beauty at his side.

"This is Mrs. Parker, a friend of mine." Valenti pulled her gently forward, "Mrs. Parker, Mr. Evans."

Max nodded in her direction, not saying more. He was unable to. The woman in front of him looked exactly like Liz, except with blue eyes. He looked back at Jim Valenti and saw Liz's dark brown ones.

"There a problem Mr. Evans?"

"No." He shook his head, unable to take his eyes off her. "You look like a friend of mine."

"They say my daughter is the spitting image of me, except she has her father's eyes."

He looked between the two again.

Jim raised his eyebrows as he turned to Nancy Parker.

"Told you he was a bright boy, Nancy."

Max just sputtered. How in the world! These were Liz's parents. Liz did say her mother was Nancy Parker, but Jim Valenti, what did he have to do with anything?

"Stay away from my daughter, Max." Jim said quietly.

"But..."

"There are no buts, Max, just stay away." Jim turned and directed Nancy away. Nancy gave one more glance back at the boy her daughter fell in love with before catching up to Jim.

Max glanced again over to where Pamela Troy and Victoria Delaney were standing. He smiled softly and headed towards their group.

The began fluttering around and Max had to fight the groan that was threatening to come up.

"I believe this dance is mine." He smiled, as he took Cornelia Brighton from the group. He did not even bother to acknowledge the other girls in the group.

"This is a pleasure, Mr. Evans." She smiled at him. They had been childhood friends and they never used their surnames.

"The pleasure is surely mine, Miss Brighton." He answered.

"Actually, It's Miss Cornelia." She laughed. She was the younger of a set of twins, giving the title of Miss Brighton to her sister, Ella, who was a full five minutes older than she. "Ella's over there."

"Pardon." He laughed with her. They were identical he never could tell them apart and he doubted that he ever would.

It was then that he noticed how she was looking at him.

"Nellie, don't." He said softly. "There's nothing between us."

"I know, Max." She knew in her hear he did not love her.

"You should have sent Ella."

"I would have been jealous. I would not like to hate my twin." She looked at him.

"You'll find someone, someday." He told her.

She nodded and looked away as tears filled her eyes.

"Come, we've done our damage." He directed her eyes towards Pamela Troy who looked like a hen who'd had her nest disturbed.

She smiled as he took her to her mother where she would be safe from the hurtful tongues of the other girls.

"Chin up, my Nellie." He said gently.

She watched him as he walked away, wondering who held his heart so tight he couldn't share it with her.

* * *

Max woke early the next morning. There was a pile of work on his desk in the study that adjoined his father's.

He couldn't concentrate on any of it.

Cassidy came in to bid him goodbye before heading off to school.

"Hi." She looked fightened.

"Mr. Evans, will you walk me to school? Mummy said not to bother you because you're too busy, but I-I'm scared."

"I'm never too busy for you, Cassidy." He said as he stood. Nor would he be too busy for his daughters.

Jeremy was waiting by the fence.

"Morning," he called happily.

"Morning!" They said back.

Cassidy held Max's hand as they neared the gate. They stopped outside the schoolyard.

"Miss Milton's Academy for Girls." The sign glared in his face. Across the street was Milton's Academy for Boys.

As a male and not being Cassidy's father, his stop was here.

Two girls ran up to them.

"We're sorry, Cassidy." They said in unison. Cassidy just stared at them clutching tight to Max's leg.

"We really are." The other girls added.

She looked uncertain about what to do.

Finally she spoke.

"If you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it in the first place." She put her nose in the air so high; it would have done Isabel proud. She walked around them and grabbed another girl's hand. Max assumed it was Edwina.

"Jeremy will you walk her home from school?"

"Yes!" He said. "My pleasure."

"Thank you, I know she'll be safe with you."

Max started back home then changed directions.

He knocked on Jim Valenti's door and waited.

"Mr. Valenti was expecting you, please sit down." The butler said.

"A few moments later Jim Valenti entered. "I wondered when you would come see me."

Max glowered at the man.

"I bet you've got many questions about Elizabeth. Some of them I'll answer, some I won't."

"Does Liz know?"

"No." Jim said after a pause.

"How could you let her live there in that place, when you live here?" He asked.

"I've had to make many painful decisions, Max, they weren't always the best."

"You let her live in the poorest part of the city, have you ever been there?" Max couldn't forget how it had been there. The smell, the people, the disease that now had her family camped out at his house. "How could you do that to your own daughter?"

"I fell in love with her mother." He stated simply.

"But how can...why...God!" Max couldn't put a sentence together.

"How? The same way you did. Why? Why did you fall in love with her daughter?" Valenti fired back.

Max sighed.

"You can't explain it either." He said softly.

"No, I can't." Max said. "Kyle too?"

"Yes."

"You're Cassidy's grandfather?"

"Yes." Jim smiled. "I heard about yesterday, Thank you."

"It should have been you." Max bit out.

There was a long pause as the men faced each other.

"She's here, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Can I see her?"

"No, her mother wouldn't like that." Jim said. "Sit down, we'll talk and then I'll convince Nancy to let you see her."

* * *

Liz rolled over in the unfamiliar bed.

"Liz, darling." She knew that voice but pulled away from the hand that was on her forehead.

"Max."

"Yes, darling."

"Go away, don't touch me." She shrank back into the covers. She still didn't open her eyes, there was too much light in the room and it took too much effort. "You broke my heart."

Max jerked his hand back. He told himself that it was the fever that was talking, it wasn't really how she felt.

"I'm sorry, my darling." Max hurt. "I'll leave you now."

"Good, I don't want you here." She mumbled before she fell back into a restless sleep, tear slipping out the corner of her eye.

Max walked back to Liz's apartments, he knocked and a drunken Jeff Parker opened the door.  
"I told you she ain't here."

"I know." Max said.

"What you want then?"

"Just to see something, may I come in?"

"Sure." He sat down on a chair, muttering curses.

"You don't speak that way in front of Cassidy do you?"

"Why should it matter, the little thing will learn it sooner or later."

Max raised an eyebrow. "She repeats anything and I'm coming after you." Max slipped a letter into Liz's apron pocket.

"Good day."

"Yeah, whatever." Jeff Parker mumbled as Max closed the door.

Max boarded a train to New Mexico three weeks later.

**tbc **


	8. Santa Fe

**Chapter Eight**

"Elizabeth, I need to speak with you." Nancy Parker looked at her daughter soon as Kyle shut the door behind his family. There was a Saint Patrick's Day parade that he and Serena wanted to take the kids to.

"Sure, Mama." Liz set the pan down on the counter. Her hands were shaking from the work. She was still weak from her sickness even though it had been three months since her recovery. She wiped them on her apron and then clasped them together hopefully to stop the trembling.

"There's something I need to talk to you about, something I should have shared with you a long time ago."

"What?" Liz asked sitting down. "Mama?" She got more worried every moment more her mother was delaying.

"I…found something." Nancy started slowly. She took out the letter Max had written and set it down on the table.

"What did you find? It looks like a letter."

"It is a letter. From Max."

"Max, my Max?" She raised her eyebrows, not sure she was hearing her mother correctly. "When, how did you get it?"

"Your Max, Elizabeth?" Nancy asked.

Liz flushed and looked down at her hands, she knew the reprimand was coming.

"I discussed giving this letter to you with your father, I didn't want to, but he insisted that we tell you our story, and then I'll give you the letter."

"How does yours and Papa's relationship have to do with anything?"

"Just hear me out, Elizabeth." She said quietly.

"Do I have a choice?" Liz asked her mother angrily. She wanted desperately to know what Max had written to her.

"I met your father twenty seven years ago, Liz. He was at a port in Galway, a business with a contractor. We locked eyes, Liz and it was over, I was young, engaged but I wasn't happy. I knew in that moment that only in his arms would I ever truly be happy."

"Why would Papa meet with a contractor?" She asked.

"Listen, don't interrupt, baby." Nancy told her daughter, evading the question.

"I tried to forget about him, went on with my life, three weeks later he found me. I was minding my own business, planning my wedding, but inside I was aching for a man who probably forgot about me."

Liz's mind was working, did her papa give up everything for her mother? He didn't seem like the kind of man who would do such a thing. Maybe that was why he was the way he was.

"He wanted me as much as I had wanted him. That night I gave myself to him. He took me, it's something I won't ever regret. It gave me Kyle. I had a few weeks with him, and then I didn't see him again for nearly ten years. I married one month later, two months following I was pregnant, but it wasn't with my husband's child."

"But Papa—" Liz didn't know what to say. She studied her mother.

"Hush." Nancy took a moment to collect herself. "I was faithful to Papa in body, once we were married, Elizabeth, but in spirit I was another man's wife. We kept up correspondence nearly once a month. When I heard he was coming back to Ireland, I promised myself that I would stay away. That I had my family to think of now. It was hopeless, we both knew it, I went to him, I'm not ashamed to say it. Papa was a drunk and never came home at night, that was my excuse, so I sent Kyle to school one morning, and went to him. We had a short interlude of a week. One blissful week, my darling."

Liz was till trying to process everything that her mother was telling her. Her Papa wasn't her father. Part of her was relieved, but another part of him ached for him. She was angry at her mother for keeping something so important from her.

"Nine and a half months later, I got a pleasant little gift, and named her Elizabeth."

"Mama, why didn't you tell me before?" Liz's voice was full of pain.

"I didn't think I would have to."

"Does Papa know?" Liz asked afraid of the answer. She knew now why her father wanted nothing to do with her or Kyle.

"Yes, I had to tell him." Nancy said.

"Who is he, Mama, who's my father?"

"I wasn't going to tell you, I was just going to let it be, but in a few months, baby, your life may change. Your father is Jim Valenti."

"I would like to be alone now." Liz looked at the table. When her mother made no move to leave the table, Liz stood and went to the back bedroom and shut the door.

It was only then that she remembered her mother still held her letter.

* * *

_Santa Fe, New Mexico_

Max Evans rolled up his sleeves in an attempt to battle the heat. Who would have thought a heatwave would hit in the middle of March?

Max stared out his East staring at the glistening lake, listening with his new friend and his wife, Michael and Maria Guerin. It had been three months since he had been in New Mexico and Liz hadn't written to him in that time.

His mother had written to him and assured him that she had recovered from her illness. She was still weak, though. Max scrubbed his hands over his eyes and focused on Maria's words.

"Mr. Evans, you're not paying attention to me." Maria Guerin put her hands on her hips, letting her parasol drop.

"Mrs. Guerin, you're getting too much sun." Max teased.

"Please call me Maria." She said exasperated.

"I don't think your husband would like."

"He wouldn't." Michael stepped up to his wife and handed her the parasol and kissed her cheek.

"He won't mind." Maria smacked him away. "Will you, honey?"

"No."

Max knew Maria would do as she pleased. Michael was putty in the girl's hands. Even his father who met him before had said Michael Guerin had changed in the skillful—and loving Max suspected—hands of Maria Deluca Guerin.

"Max, who are pining over?" Maria asked softly stepping closer to him.

"No one." He stepped away and looked at the water. How he wished Maria weren't here so he could just dive into the water. "Michael make your wife go home so I can swim."

Michael raised his eyebrows and said it simply. "You."

Max knew it would be impossible. "Mrs. Guerin,"

"Well at least you can marry her, if not then just move on."

"If only it were that simple, Mrs. Guerin."

"Max Evans, call me Mrs. Guerin one more time, and you'll regret it." She said her face turned an angry flush of red.

"Sorry."

"You're forgiven. It can be that simple." She said more gently. "Has she written to you?"

He said nothing just continued to stare east.

"Have you written her?"

He gave a curt nod. At least a dozen times since he'd left, and there had never been any replies.

"Max…"

"There has to be a reason why she won't."

"Maybe there is, maybe she just…" She trailed off.

"No." Max said firmly. "No, please drop it, Maria."

"Alright." She huffed. "But Michael is taking me to New York with him when he goes this fall, will you go with us and show us around?"

Max stared straight ahead, fall was six long months away.

* * *

"Liz?" Serena asked quietly, checking to see if she was awake.

"Yes, what is it?" Liz sat up. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

"No, I have something for you."

"What?" Liz wasn't sure she wanted it.

"Liz, I know about you and your papa. Mama explained to me and Kyle while you were sick." She said quietly. "It upset Kyle terribly. I still think he is upset with them, but for the babies, he's being cordial to her. But, Liz, I have something for you."

Liz groaned and shoved her head under the pillow. "I don't want it."

"It's from Max." Serena said. "He's been sending them here, and by some act of God I've been able to intercept the before your mother found out. You be grateful and sit up now." She said tersely. "I know you're hurting, but you can't sulk."

"Go away, Serena."

"Alright." Serena stood. "Mrs. Higgins expects you at work by noon." She brushed off her dress and left the room.

Soon as Liz heard the front door slam, and the small apartment go silent, she pushed out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. Sitting on the table was a box and on top was a letter that had 'Liz' written on the outside of it.

**tbc**


	9. New York and New Prospects

**Chapter Nine**

Liz's hands froze on the letters. Her heart pumping fast.

She picked it up and was disappointed when it was just a letter from her mother. Tempted not to read it and open the box, she thought better and slipped it from the envelope.

She took a breath before she began reading the words.

_Elizabeth,_

_I know you feel yourself to be in love with this young man, and that is a beautiful thing, my baby, but he can never make you happy. You can never marry him. _

_I have lived twenty seven years of my life loving a man I can never have, and he, in return, has never married, never had any children. I have been lucky in having you and your brother and now my grandchildren. As of now, he will never get to know them for who they are. Cassidy has a chance. In case you haven't realized it is not the Evans that are sponsoring the young girl into society, it is Jim Valenti. Yes, Max Evans knows who you are, but still it changes nothing, baby. Jim Valenti did it under the rouse of the Evans because there has already been talk of him having a mistress and illegitimate children. That's what I am, baby, somebody's mistress, something I never want you to be. I'm not ashamed of what I am, because I know we love each other very much, but I don't want it to be like this for you. _

_The best you can do is forget about him, move on, and marry a nice boy from our neighborhood. Don't give up forever, my baby, live your life, not someone else's._

_Love,_

_ Mama_

She was shaking so bad he had to sit down. Reaching inside the box she opened took out the first letter, it was addressed to her mother but Liz knew she had wanted her to read it. It was one of love and sorrow, of a longing so deep it seemed to be ripping them in two. She took out the next, a reply written by her mother telling of Kyle's birth.

Letter after letter, Liz read of a hopeless romance between two people separated by not only an ocean but circumstances no one would ever have imagined. Her mother and her father. Liz wasn't quite so sure she ever wanted to meet this man.

Then near the bottom, the letters were address to her. The first one simply had her name on it, no address, which Max must have delivered by hand.

She opened it and read it, tears running down her cheeks.

_My Darling,_

_I know I'll already be gone by the time you are well enough to read this. I want to apologize to you for what happened. I promise you my intentions are honorable. I really did mean to marry you; I just meant that we should wait. That I had to get my own fortune before I can marry you. I don't know how my parents would feel about me marrying you and I have to tell you straight forward that they might cut me off. I want to be able to support you if that were to happen, I want to be on my own before I give you my name and take you under my wing to protect and love and cherish. _

_I didn't mean to insult you, Liz, I want you to be my wife. I want you to have my children, lots of them, or however many you want. Daughters with your beautiful face, sons with your eyes. I just ask you to believe me, to love me. Like I love you. Wait for me, my beauty, and I will come for you. Soon._

_Yours,_

_Max_

Liz read the letters underneath and recognized that Max was quickly losing hope.

The last one had been sent last week. Liz scrambled around the apartment to find paper and writing utensil. Sitting down she began to write, cursing at how badly her hands shook. She had been set back in starting college, she was supposed to start in the fall, because she had gotten sick, was unable to.

She was lucky, the only one in her area that had survived, she still didn't know why. Ignoring her shaky writing she penned the letter to him.

* * *

"I told her, Jim." Nancy said quietly. 

"And her reaction?" He asked.

"Elizabeth doesn't react. She masks her feelings until she can be alone. She'll process it and then tell me how she feels. It could be weeks." Nancy sat down. "I think she was upset."

"I would be too. I hear Max Evans is doing well for himself in the west." Jim said.

"Any hope for a marriage?" She asked hopefully.

"The chances of an Eastern girl going West is slim, he'll have to meet a girl out there."

"That won't be so bad, he won't have any reason to come home anymore, right?"

"Not as many, his whole family is here, Nancy, you must remember that."

"I know." She said quietly. "She's not interested in any of the boys from where we're from."

"Don't push too hard, it's hard enough that Kyle married a girl from there."

"What do you mean?" Nancy met his eyes.

"It means that legally, I'm allowed to name anyone I like as my heir in my will. That I could accept Kyle into my home as my own."

"And his wife?"

"That is where we have the problem, she has no connection to us whatsoever." Jim said slowly. "It'll be harder for them to accept her."

"She's the mother of our grandchildren." Nancy looked worried.

"I know, honey." He smoothed her hair. "She's Kyle's wife, they'll try. We have the Evans' backing and the Brighton's."

"We'll all be fine." Nancy said more relaxed.

"All of us except you, my love." He said hurting inside because she could never belong. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." She caressed his cheek. "I made my choice, and I'm happy with it."

* * *

"Evans there has to be a change in plans." Michael Guerin strolled into the office. 

"Why?" Max looked up from the paperwork.

"We have to go to New York with in the next few weeks."

"Why?" Max asked again.

"Because I promised my wife I would take her to the city." Michael said. "And I've yet to break a promise to her."

"We'll go, just not for a few months yet." Max had no desire to go into the city yet.

"We have to go soon, my wife won't be fit for travel in a few months time."

"Why not…" Max stood, and a slow smile spread across Michael's face. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Michael said proudly. "Maria declared it shall be a son, and so it shall be so."

Max wondered if God dare defy Maria's edicts.

"We'll go soon then." He said. Ready or not he'd have to go back.

* * *

Liz stood with Cassidy while she picked out the candy of her choice. Liz tried to be patient with the young girl even though she'd had a long day at work. She was going to by penny candy from the grocer and was proud that she had earned it from Mrs. Evans for getting top marks in her class. 

"Elizabeth." Liz always got suspicious when a boy talked to her.

"Yes, Sean?" She turned. "Hurry up, sweetheart."

"I'm trying Aunt Liz." She said not wanting to be rushed in such a tough decision.

"What are you doing?" Sean asked. "Hello, Cassidy."

Cassidy raised an eyebrow at the man and turned back. As much as they tried to instill their values into the girl, she was starting to look down on the people in their own neighborhood and people's tongues were starting to wag.

"Cassidy." Liz said sternly.

"Good Evening, Mr. Malloy." She said and turned back to the counter.

"You got yourself a penny there?" He asked Cassidy.

"Two." She said happily.

"Where'd you get two pennies from my lovely girl?" He asked.

"I got top marks at school, Mr. Malloy." She said and chose a piece of candy.

"Thank you, Cassidy." The grocer said when she handed over the money.

"You're welcome." She said happily. "Thank you."

"Run along home, Cassidy, I have something to do." Liz told the young girl.

"Alright, are you going to mail the letter to Mr. Evans?" Cassidy asked innocently.

Liz didn't answer. "Go home, Cassidy."

She turned and Liz watched her scamper down the street and into their apartment building.

"So you're too good for us poor men then, Elizabeth?" Sean sneered. "Have to go and be one of the rich bastard's mistresses?"

"You'll mind your tongue, Malloy." She said quietly. Of all the boys that had been trying to get her attention Sean was the most persistent. And if Liz was truthful to herself she knew that if Max hadn't been in the picture she might have become Mrs. Sean Malloy.

"Yes, _Eilis."_ He said her name in her native tongue.

He saw the flicker in her eyes and smiled. "I bet your Evans boy couldn't do that could he."

She lifted her head a notch higher.

"You have nothing to say to that?" He asked.

"Sean Malloy, what I do is none of your business."

"But it is, Elizabeth. My mother was worried about you going to work for them. 'The girl's too pretty for her own good.' My mother'd say. I didn't worry about you, not our Elizabeth, but I guess I was wrong, huh." He shrugged. "I thought you were better than that, _Eilis."_ He walked away.

Liz's hand hesitated as she stepped up to the mail box.

Turning towards Sean as he walked away she put the letter into her pocket.

"_Don't give up forever, my Baby." _Her mother's plea was fresh in her head.

"Sean, does this mean you're willing to take me to the social tomorrow night?" She called after him.

He stopped and slowly turned. He walked back to her.

He took her hand in his and she tried not to pull away. "I'll do that, and a whole lot more."

She nodded and tried not to be repulsed by his touch.

"_Live your life, not someone else's." _

She thought of the letter she had written him, how she had been prepared to believe him and her eyes filled with tears and spilled over.

"Elizabeth, he didn't hurt you did he?" He asked shakily. "Touch you?"

She shook her head. "No, he did nothing we would be ashamed of." She said truthfully.

He took her into his arms then, right there on the street corner. "You'll be ok, Elizabeth."

Shakily she put her arms around him and cried.

**tbc **

**disclaimer: I speak no Gaelic, I just searched the Internet, I hope it's right. If anyone speaks Gaelic and it's wrong go ahead and e-mail me. Love to talk. **


	10. Leaving

**Chapter 10**

Liz sat and clapped her hands to the music, letting herself be absorbed into the world around her. Even her mother was dancing Cassidy running around with the other children.

Logan was squirming in her lap laughing at all the excitement.

"Come dance, Elizabeth." Sean came up to her. "You too, Serena, you two always look gorgeous dancing together."

"I couldn't." Serena said. "I'm the mother of two now, Liz can though, she'd be delighted."

"Come on, Miss Parker." The kids chanted.

"Sean…"Liz smiled. "Only if you dance with me, I know you dance as well if not better than me, Mr. Malloy."

"Should I dance with the lady then?" He asked the kids.

"Aye!" they chorused.

"Hand me the baby." Serena took her son who squealed when he landed back in his mother's arms.

Liz stood. The band struck up a fast tune and Liz took Sean's hand. "You'll regret this, Sean Malloy. I'm not steady on my feet as I haven't quite gotten well." She warned

"I'll catch you. It will be worth it if I can dance with you." Their feet took up the beat and the audience took one with their hands.

A few breathless moments later Liz found herself fully engulfed in the festivities. She had forgotten about everything going from person to person, dancing with different partners, but each time they returned her to Sean, as if she was his and that unnerved her.

"Mr. Malloy, recite something!" One child cried. Sean was a very smart man who Liz wished could have the opportunity somewhere to be something. He had studied as often and as much as she when they had been in school. He was one of the few people in the neighborhood who had gone to high school. Liz knew marriage to him wouldn't be bad, she'd be able to have conversation with him.

"Yes, Mr. Malloy, please." They said. He turned from his conversation with Liz and smiled.

"What should I recite?" He asked already knowing what they would demand.

"The Shepherd one!" They said together.

"But it's English." He said teasingly.

"My teacher's English, she's not so bad, Mr. Malloy." One little boy said. "She's kind of pretty."

"As pretty as Miss Parker here?"

"No one's as pretty as Miss Parker." The boy replied with a blush.

"I quite agree." Sean said and stood to take the center seat.

COME live with me and be my Love,

And we will all the pleasures prove

That hills and valleys, dale and field,

And all the craggy mountains yield.

There will we sit upon the rocks_ 5_

And see the shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow rivers, to whose falls

Melodious birds sing madrigals.

There will I make thee beds of roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,_ 10_

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle.

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty lambs we pull,

Fair linèd slippers for the cold,_ 15_

With buckles of the purest gold.

A belt of straw and ivy buds

With coral clasps and amber studs:

And if these pleasures may thee move,

Come live with me and be my Love._ 20_

Thy silver dishes for thy meat

As precious as the gods do eat,

Shall on an ivory table be

Prepared each day for thee and me.

The shepherd swains shall dance and sing_ 25_

For thy delight each May-morning:

If these delights thy mind may move,

Then live with me and be my Love.

When he was finished his eyes had found Liz's. All the kids looked over to her.

"What have you got to say to that Miss Parker?" One of the older boys asked.

Liz smiled at Sean with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "I have a lot to say, Timmy."

Two could play, Liz said to herself.

Keeping her eyes locked on Sean's she turned and recited the response.

If all the world and love were young,  
And truth in every shepherd's tongue,  
These pretty pleasures might me move  
To live with thee and be thy love.

Time drives the flocks from field to fold  
When rivers rage and rocks grow cold,  
And Philomel becometh dumb;  
The rest complains of cares to come.

The flowers do fade, and wanton fields  
To wayward winter reckoning yields;  
A honey tongue, a heart of gall,  
Is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall.

The gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses,  
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies  
Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten,—   
In folly ripe, in reason rotten.

Thy belt of straw and ivy buds,  
Thy coral clasps and amber studs,  
All these in me no means can move  
To come to thee and be thy love.

But could youth last and love still breed,  
Had joys no date nor age no need,  
Then these delights my mind might move  
To live with thee and be thy love.

One man guffawed and the rest of the boys chuckled.

"You wound me, Miss Parker." Sean held his hand over his heart in mock sadness.

"It would take more than a simple poem, Mr. Malloy." She smiled. "Or at least it should."

That set all the children laughing, and Sean got up and made his way across the room towards her.

"You, Miss Parker, need to learn to speak to your future husband." The room went silent and the Liz's cheeks flushed.

"When I find him, I will." She smiled. She didn't know how she could be flirting and jesting when her heart was aching so badly for Max.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled. "You're looking at him, Miss Parker." And he kissed her.

Stunned Liz held still. It felt nothing like Max, but she knew she would never have Max so she held on to him.

He pulled away and smiled down at her. The crowd cheered around them. "You'll forget him, soon, my Elizabeth." He said only for her ears. "I'll make you happy, you'll see."

At her smile, Sean turned back to the children.

"And that, is how you get your lady to listen to you, my lads."

Liz lightly smacked him and took her seat next to Serena.

* * *

_Two months later_

Liz came home from an evening out with Sean and was stunned to see her mother and Serena hurriedly putting things together.

"What are you doing?" She asked dreading the answer.

"We're moving." Nancy Parker said. Serena stood still looking down.

"Why…where?" Liz asked.

"We're moving into Jim Valenti's house."

"Why?" She said sitting down.

"Because, you my girl, are his daughter."

"I don't want to go." Liz sat down.

"Elizabeth." Her mother said sternly.

"No, Mama, it's not fair." Liz said. "I'm going to marry Sean, isn't that what you wanted?"

"Not anymore." Nancy Parker replied and set her clothes in a box. "Cassidy's already there and having a grand time with her grandfather."

"That's not fair to Sean or me, Mama." Liz said. "I don't want to go. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Elizabeth what has gotten into you?"

"What about you? Are you just going to leave Papa?" she asked.

"I'll be living with him here. He's not your father."

"I don't care!" She stormed. "I don't care, Mama. It's not fair. You're selfish! You don't care about anyone other than yourself. I'm going to stay here, I'm going to marry Sean, I'm going to become a nurse, and I'm going to forget about you."

"No you're not. You, are going to become a society lady, you are going to marry a rich man and be well off. You are going to be what you were born to be."

"No, Mama, you made it quite clear, a few weeks ago. I'm not a lady. I can't marry Max Evans." She said softly, she didn't need to raise her voice. "You ensured that for me, Mama. Max Evans doesn't want me."

"You don't know what you want."

"You don't know what I want, Mama. What I want is to become a nurse. I want to help other people. I want to help other people put there lives back together, unlike you who tears them apart." She turned and walked back outside.

"Can you believe that girl?" Nancy turned to her daughter-in-law.

"I can, I can't believe you though." Serena straightened her spine. "You're tearing that girl's life apart. You just don't want her to be happy, do you?"

"Of course, that's all I want."

"No, I don't think so. She's right, Nancy, you are selfish. You can't keep interfering with her life. She has a chance to be happy. Leave her alone."

"Of all the things I've done for you, Serena, you have no right to speak to me like that." Nancy looked appalled.

"I do." Serena said. "I thank you for what you've done for me. But you're still a bitch, so leave the girl alone."

"Serena." But the door had slammed behind her. Nancy sat in one of the chairs.

The next evening Liz met with Sean.

"Hello, beautiful." He kissed her forehead.

"Hello." She said solemnly.

"What's wrong?" His heart sank. "What is it?"

"I can't marry you, Sean." Liz said quietly her eyes filling with tears. "I haven't been very truthful to you Sean."

"Why not?" Sean took her hands.

"My mother."

"What has she done?" Sean said.

"Sit, and I'll explain."

"I don't want to hear this do I?" He said.

"I didn't either." Liz said. "I'm sorry." They sat and Liz explained.

"Son of a—" He said and held his tongue.

"I'm sorry. I was going to overlook it, but she won't let it go and neither will he. Kyle wanted nothing to do with him either, but it can't be helped, he's a powerful man." She said truthfully.

"You're going to marry that Evans?" Sean asked feeling inadequate.

"No." Liz shook her had. She wasn't going to marry any man. "I'm going to become a nurse. I'll make it on my own."

"And if your father won't allow you to go to college?"

"I don't know what I'll do." Liz answered.

"You'll not be happy, if you're not happy come back to me?" He asked.

"Maybe, Sean. Most likely not." She told him.

"Go then, Elizabeth, is it bad for me to wish you not to be happy, so you'll come back to me?"

"No, it's normal." She told him. "I don't think I'll come back to you."

"I'll be here, I don't know for how long though." He said.

"Don't wait too long, Sean, you'll make some lass very happy one day."

"I was hoping it would be you."

"I think part of me was too." She answered. "Have a good life."

"You, too, _Eilis."_

_

* * *

_

_Two Months Later_

Michael and Maria had decided to stay in the city and have the baby. It was still five months away and Max wasn't sure he should stay or go back.

He knew the Parkers no longer worked for his parents and had no idea where to find Liz. He was on his way to her apartment. He knew she would have written to him if he wanted to see her.

He pulled up outside the apartment buildings and noticed the strange looks he was getting from people.

He was disappointed to find that once he got to the apartment that the Parkers no longer lived there.

On his way out he ran into a young man about his age.

"Do you by any chance, know where the Parkers went to?"

"Who's asking?" The man asked.

"Max Evans."

Max could have sworn his eyes turned black.

"No."

"You know something."

"No, nothing." He smiled and Sean Malloy went on his way.

**TBC **

* * *

**Disclaimer: The poems are by Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh, respectively. We read them in English and I've fallen in love with them.**


	11. Saying Goodbye

**Chapter 11**

After going home, Max Evans was at a loss as to where to find Liz Parker. She had moved out of her apartment. Only her mother and Jeff Parker lived there now.

He paced his room wondering who to talk to next. He had decided that it would be best if he went back to New Mexico until Michael could once again join him. His business was too new to leave alone for such a time.

Maybe Jim Valenti knew where they had moved to. Grabbing his coat he was sure he did.

* * *

"Hi, Mr. Evans." Cassidy said looking up. She was holding a tiny Scottish terrier in her lap. "Aunt Liz is talking to Grandpapa." She said petting its head. A larger one, with a bow in its fur, came and snatched her out her lap. Cassidy giggled as she followed her to where there was an entire nest of Scotties. "You have to be quiet." Cassidy whispered.

"Who are these?" He asked.

"The big one is Duchess, she's my doggie." She said proudly. "Grandpapa gave her to me because she likes me. Duke is with Grandpapa, he's his favorite friend." She stroked Duchess' head.

"How have you been, Miss Cassidy?" Max asked.

"Fine. I got top marks at school." She said proudly. "I'm top of my class."

"Very good." He congratulated her. "You're going to be as smart as your aunt one day. You're going to go to college one day."

"Aunt Liz isn't going to go to school." She said quietly, as if sharing a secret.

This startled Max. "Why not?"

"Grandpapa won't let her." She said and petted the big dog again. "Daddy tried to talk him into it, but Grandpapa says no."

"Grandpapa is Jim Valenti."

"Yes." Cassidy answered.

"Cassidy, up off the floor please."

Max looked up. Seeing Cassidy in fine clothes had become normal for Max once she had started school. Seeing Serena dressed the part of a perfect society lady he was astounded.

"Mrs. Parker." He greeted.

"Mr. Evans." Serena looked at their guest. "What brings you here?" She already knew the answer to that.

"I've come to see Liz." Max said. "Is that your baby, Logan?"

"Yes." Serena jostled the little boy in her arms. Jim had tried to insist that he stay with a nanny but Serena would have none of it.

Serena had a feeling Jim didn't like her. That she wasn't good enough from them. She kept quiet around him, especially when they had guests. Cassidy seemed to be the only one who took easily to the man. Kyle was polite to his father, and if Jim said anything mean to his wife, Kyle took quick offense, often ending in an argument with everyone going to bed angry.

"Leave Duchess and her puppies alone, dear." Serena said to her daughter. "Go on up to the nursery and get ready for supper."

"Alright." She dusted off her skirt like the perfect daughter. When she stood four puppies followed her out of the room in a line.

Duchess looked up but made no attempt to stop them.

"They'll start whining at the bottom of the stairs because they can't climb them. Then Duchess will go get them one by one." Serena watched her daughter.

Max smirked when he heard the whimpers and Duchess hopped up on her short legs to go retrieve her puppies.

"So what's this about Liz not going to college?" Max asked after Duchess had left the room as well.

"Nancy Parker wants Liz to marry well, and doesn't think Liz will benefit from going to college." Serena regurgitated what she had heard. Her mouth twisted in a mirthless smile. "You never can guess what that woman wants. She doesn't want Liz to marry you, but when she's close to marrying someone else she pushes him away from him as well. Kyle and I cannot figure out what the woman wants for her." She hadn't realized she let slip how Liz had felt about him.

"Back to the subject on hand." Serena set her son on the floor and held his hands so he could stand. "Rarely does Jim deny Nancy anything so he has demanded that she will not go."

"Because Nancy wishes it so?"

"Yes. I think they've broken her. I don't know how much she can take. She's always wanted to be a nurse. She was going to start school in the fall, but then she fell ill and lost almost two months of wages which set her back till spring term. Now this."

"Would Nancy Parker let me marry her now?" Max asked.

"Who knows. Why wouldn't she let her marry you in the first place?" Serena shrugged. "You'll have to meet with Jim. I'll let Liz know you're here."

"Thank you." He nodded to her as she collected her son and left the room.

"Mr. Evans?" Max turned to the voice a few minutes later. "I thought you would be in New Mexico for the next couple of years."

"Me too, my friend's wife is with child and they would like to stay in the city. I brought them back. I return in a few weeks, I would like if you would return with me."

"I can't." Liz answered looking at her hands. She wasn't sure she could do anything anymore. "I've yet to reach my majority and my f-father won't give his permission."

"What about Kyle."

"Kyle has no say anymore. Not even really over his own family." She said quietly.

She looked so trapped. Like a caged bird who just wanted to spread her wings and fly.

"If we elope he can't stop us." Max said.

"We're not getting married. If I signed the marriage contract it wouldn't be worth the paper it's written on. As I explained before I haven't reached my majority. I'm not going to get married. To anyone."

"Why not?"

"I'm going to be a nurse. I'm going to make it on my own."

"He won't let you go to college."

"We have a deal. I go to college during the day, act the perfect young miss at night. He just doesn't know I'm not going to get married."

"Not even me?"

"Not you."

It was then he noticed the tear streaks on her cheeks.

"He's made you cry."

"A lot of people have made me cry the past few months, Mr. Evans." She said. "I was never one to cry when I was young, but I've had plenty to cry over since I got employed by your family."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Liz said quietly.

"I have plenty of things to be sorry for." He stepped closer to her and tilted her head up by grasping her chin.

"Not too much, I'm sorry I never wrote to you, Max. I was so confused and messed up. I got your letter. I can't be your wife. I can't be anybody's wife. I don't want to feel owned, like I have to obey a man's rules. While living with Papa he was never sober enough to exhibit control." She stopped and snickered. "Who would be when they have two of their spouses bastards under their roof?"

"Liz."

"No, it's alright. I'm completely illegitimate. I know that, you know that, society knows that but because my sire is rich I'm accepted."

"Did Kyle not rule your house then?"

"Kyle trusted me." Liz said. She had lost her ally. He was as powerless as she. "I'm sorry about what I said to you, when I was sick."

"I deserved it."

"No."

Liz crouched down when a puppy pulled on her skirt. "No, Lady." She scolded.

"Are all your animals named after nobility."

"No." She smiled. "Duke came first, and then came another female dog, so Duchess was only so fitting. This here." She held up the puppy. "Is mine, the runt, and the only female of Duchess' litter. Her name is Lady. Her brothers don't have names because we're not going to keep them."

"She's wonderful."

"Thank you." Liz stroked her. "Thank you for caring about me, Max."

"I don't care about you, Liz. I love you." He told her softly.

She looked up at him.

"Don't." She said. "Please leave, Mr. Evans."

"Come back with me, Liz, you can go to college with me."

"There are no colleges out west." Liz said. "I'm not going to marry you."

Max studied her and noticed her heartbroken expression. She was dead set.

"Alright. I'll let you go to college here. How long does it take for you if you start this fall?"

"Two years for nurses training."

"I'll see you in two years." He turned and walked away. "But then it's the last time I'm coming for you, Liz. Some men might call me crazy for waiting so long. I may be crazy, but I love you, and I'm going to give you another chance. You're still young. Maybe in two years you'll be ready for me."

He turned and started towards the door. Then stopped with his hand on the doorknob.

"Just tell me this, Liz, you love me, don't you?" He asked.

She was silent for a second, and he could see the indecision on her face. Then she looked up and straight into his eyes. "Yes, I do. But I still can't marry you."

That was a step forward, Max thought, at least he could now convince her, now that he had his foot in the door.

Liz slumped onto the couch as she watched him go. Maybe in two years she would be ready, maybe in two years she'd be a different person. Independent, in charge of her own life, and ready to marry the man she loved.

"Oh, Lady, what is wrong with me?" She asked the dog as she cried silently.

**tbc**


	12. Two Years Later

**Chapter 12**

_Two Years Later_

Max sat straight up in bed. He heard his nephew's wild chatter outside his chambers. Then remembered he was home, in New York City, not in New Mexico.

There was commotion in the hallway and his first thought was his sister.

Slipping on some clothes he entered the hallway.

"Lucas." He picked the boy up.

"Mama's in there."

"Why aren't you in the nursery?" Max turned toward the stairs that led to the nursery.

"No, I want Mama."

"Lucas, Mama needs you to be a good boy." He pleaded with him.

"Daddy!" Lucas leapt into his father's arms.

"Alex, is Isabel alright?" Max asked her sister's husband.

"Yes. We just sent for the doctor." He looked at his son. "Why don't we just take you upstairs and get you settled."

Max went downstairs and waited outside Isabel's door for the doctor.

A few minutes later he heard footsteps.

"Her pains are coming fast, Miss Parker." He heard Mrs. Higgins voice.

"Alright, I'll tell you if I need a doctor. I should be ok, though." He then heard an achingly familiar voice. One he hadn't heard in two years.

He heard a scamper of paws behind her and immediately recognized Lady. Liz walked right past him to the room. "This is it, Mrs. Higgins?"

"Yes, go on in dear." She encouraged. "Hurry."

Liz turned and gave a sharp order to the dog, who plopped herself onto her behind.

Max stared at the dog who was intent on watching the door for any sign of movement. He heard people talking and rushing around. Maids hurried in and out of the room with water and towels and linens.

He wondered why the doctor hadn't come.

"Lady, come here, girl." He called to dog when he too sat in the chair across the hall.

The dog turned its head and eyed the man. Tilting her head she studied him and Max briefly wondered if she remembered him. She turned back and watched the door and ignored all attempts to get her to come to him.

Max didn't know how much longer it was but dawn was breaking when he heard a baby cry. Alex startled awake and waited for the nurse to come out.

Lady looked up when her mistress exited the room for the first time that night.

"Mr. Whitman, would you like to meet your daughter?" Liz asked. "She's a healthy one."

"A daughter?" He jumped up from the chair.

"Yes. Congratulations."

"Thank you." He spun her around and kissed her cheek. "Max, you can come meet your niece in a few moments."

"I can wait." Max nodded. "Few more moments won't hurt."

Liz talked to the dog and Lady stood, stretched and began to follow Liz down the hallway.

"Miss Parker, wait."

Liz had been so involved in her work that she wasn't aware of Max sitting there and now following along beside her. Lady began growling at him when he got too close and reached out to grab Liz's arm.

"Lady." Liz looked down at the dog. She whispered something to her and the dog sat but kept her eyes on Max as a warning.

"You trained your dog in Gaelic?" He asked amused.

"Yes, she understands English as well. Let go of my arm Mr. Evans or I won't be responsible for your ankle."

"Point taken." He held up his hands in surrender. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."

"Nor I you." She looked up into his eyes. His eyes were the same, she noticed, but something in them had changed. His face was harder, more tan. Not like the men here who stayed inside all day. "You work outside?" She reached up and stroked his face.

"Yes. I spend a lot of my time outside. It's warmer there. Almost all year round."

"I've heard." She pulled her hand back as if she'd been stung.

"I promised you I'd come back."

"You did, and you came. I never promised I would go West with you." She looked at the dog. "I have commitments here, Mr. Evans."

"I know." He said and noticed how tired she must have been. It was almost dawn and it had been somewhere around midnight when she had been summoned. "Why don't you work with a doctor?"

"I do." She said and began walking towards the door.

"Where was he tonight?"

"He's old, Mr. Evans." She turned to him again. "We've decided that I can handle all the births. As long as nothing goes wrong he sees no reason why I shouldn't deliver the babies. Most men actually feel more comfortable with a woman being there."

"I see." He nodded. "I have something I need to talk with you about, Liz." He used her given name.

"So soon?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. When she had graduated from school she had been thinking of him, or if he would come back.

"I'll be here for a few weeks. I'll get it over soon, the sooner the better I think. It's important, and goes further than us."

She nodded. "Lady, come."

"You're walking?" He asked. "Alone?"

"Yes, my parents have moved around the corner. My Papa died a year ago." It still hurt her to say it. He may not have been the best man, but he had been around since she was born. Had taken in two children not his own and traveled three thousand miles with them. "They moved in together six months later." And she was bitter at both of them for that.

"Can I walk you home?"

"No. I have Lady, and if anyone were to see us I'd be ruined."

"What would Lady do?"

"Set up such a racket anyone within two miles would come running." Liz smiled. "She's a good dog. I'll be fine, Max."

He smiled when she used his first name. "If you say so."

"We'll be fine."

"Alright."

"Goodnight, Max."

"Goodnight, Liz, little Lady."

The dog scurried along beside Liz without the need for a leash.

Max smiled and watched them disappear around the corner.

* * *

"Mr. Valenti, there is a Mr. Evans for you."

"I thought the boy was gone." He muttered. He had heard rumors of him being back but he didn't think they were true. He wondered if he had seen Liz yet. "Bring him in here please." He stated.

"Mr. Evans."

"Mr. Valenti." He nodded.

"Please sit. I'm betting this is about my daughter."

"Yes." He sat down when Valenti nodded to the chair. "I want to discuss something with you."

"You want to marry her." He guessed.

"I do." Max nodded. "But she doesn't want to marry me."

"She has informed me she doesn't want to marry anyone, earlier this week." Jim said. "She's had three proposals in the last year but she insists she wants nothing but to be a nurse."

"So I've heard." Max nodded.

"My wife is insistent that she be married." Jim said and looked at the man. "So are you interested in her?"

"Yes, but not for what you're thinking." Max said. "I want to marry her, but we also need her out west."

"What do you mean?" Jim asked.

"There is a shortage of medical aid, out west, Valenti." Max said. "Childbirths often go unaided because a doctor is too busy, we don't have any nurses."

"My daughter isn't going to be a nurse for the rest of her life. She's going to marry and have children."

"Your wife will destroy her." Max said quietly. He thought of Liz's insistence that she wanted nothing more than to be a nurse, not to get married.

"She's doing what is best for our daughter." Jim insisted.

"That's what you think." Max said.

"Do not speak about my wife in such a way." Jim warned.

"How long were you going to let her practice nursing?" Max asked. "Because I know you were going to force her to stop. I was just wondering when."

"I was going to give her a year."

"A year and then take all her dreams away."

"You make it seem so harsh." Jim scratched his neck.

"It is. Do I have permission to marry your daughter?" Max asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because Nancy would not like that." Jim said.

"Are you the kind of man to let your wife rule what you do?" Max raised an eyebrow.

"When a man loves a woman, he does crazy things."

"Who would know that better than me?" Max asked with a smile.

Jim froze and stood.

"If you marry her, you can't possibly mean to keep her as a nurse, your wife?"

"Why not?"

"Surely a husband doesn't do such things, make his wife work."

"I'm not making her and as my wife she'll be free to do as she pleases."

"That's no way to run a household." Jim slammed his hand down on his desk.

"Its how yours is run." Max quipped. "Yes or no."

"Fine. Fine." He waved him out. "Would you like me to speak with her?"

"No, I'll do it." Max turned to exit. "Thank you, Valenti." He nodded and left the room.

* * *

Liz was returning from a call when she heard someone calling her name.

Lady let out a howl before Liz could silence her.

"Elizabeth, it's me." Sean said coming around from the back.

"Sean?" She asked, surprised to see him. Despite her command Lady began barking fiercely.

"Elizabeth, I have something, someone who needs you." He stayed where he was. "I know it's been a long time."

"Lady, hush." She commanded the dog. "Sit."

The dog sat and looked threateningly at Sean.

"Who?" Liz asked stepping closer. She was tired, her hair was mussed, but she needed to help who she could. She also knew it was difficult to get a physician to go down to the Lower East Side. She hoped it was something she could deal with.

"My wife."

Shocked, Liz stared at him and tilted his head. "When?"

"A year ago, I'll tell you on the way. Please."

"Of course." Liz let out a small smile, happy for Sean.

**tbc **


	13. Proposals

**To answer some questions:**

**Yes, Max and Liz do end up together, I'm too much of a dreamer to do anything else, I've tried.**

**No Sean, has good intentions, I'm just trying to put Max and Liz together, and introduce something else.**

**Thanks for asking and reading!**

**Chapter 13**

"This way, Elizabeth." Sean hurried up the narrow stairs. Being in the neighborhood brought back memories. Happy ones as well as the sad ones.

He knocked on a door then opened it. "Maggie?" He called.

There was a small yelp from near the back. "Sarah?"

"We're in here." A woman called. "Thank heavens you're back, we were getting worried."

"It's alright." He said and gripped the older woman's hand. "Maggie, this is Miss Parker, she's a nurse."

The old woman gave her a once over. "You're sure you know what you're doing?"

"Yes, ma'am. Take me to her." Liz slid her shawl off, delivered a command to Lady and went to the back.

There was so much blood. "Dear Lord." Liz whispered and knew she would need help. The doctor didn't make calls down here as much as she had pleaded him to he was adamant that she was on her own when she came here. Thinking quickly she looked around.

"You, Maggie, can you read?" she asked.

"Yes, Miss." The woman came forward.

"Good, take this back up town." She said quickly. "Tell the butler that Elizabeth Parker-Valenti sent you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miss." She quickly left the room.

"Sean, do you have anymore towels?" Liz turned to him.

"Yes, of course." He said.

"Bring them please, she can't lose much more." Liz rolled up her sleeves and went to the young woman.

"Does she speak Gaelic?" Liz asked him.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Good, it will make her more comfortable." She whispered something to the girl.

"Are you due now?" Liz asked as she ran a cool cloth over the girl's head.

"Yes." Sarah managed to get out.

"Excellent." Liz breathed a sigh of relief that was one problem down. She whispered something to Sarah again.

Sarah muttered something back before she was taken over by another pain.

Liz checked to see how everything was going. "You're doing fine." There was so much blood; Liz knew the girl would not make it. Something hitched in her throat as she looked at Sean, so expectant.

"Looking forward to your first?" Liz asked trying to sound cheerful, as she tried to feel for the baby. It was breached. Feeling the girl's hardened tummy Liz prayed hard.

"Well, we sort of already have one. It's out first together."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"We have Sarah's niece." Sean explained. Liz focused on how to turn the baby. It was large and the girl was small, narrow-hipped. "Sarah came over with her Da and her niece."

"Oh, what's her name?" Liz asked to keep him distracted.

"Katie." He smiled. "She calls me Da." He said proudly. "We were going to raise her like she was ours."

"That's wonderful. Sean, how long has she been laboring?"

"This is the thirtieth hour." Sean said, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes.

Liz cursed under her breath. The girl was pale, barely able to speak. "Will you keep her niece?" Liz asked looking down.

"Yes." He said. "Of course." And then he knew. There was nothing Liz could do.

The front door opened and there was a flurry of motion in the front of the house.

"Liz?" She turned and let out a sigh of relief.

"We're in the back, Nellie." She called.

"Oh, what's going on?" Nellie knelt next to Liz. Cornelia Brighton had secretly joined Liz throughout her years of college. If Nellie had to miss class because of a social engagement, Liz would fill her in.

Liz just shook her head and took her hand and pushed it to the belly. "Thirtieth hour."

Nellie's gaze flew to Liz's and then fell. "We can save the baby."

"Yes we can." Liz said and looked at Sean. "Would you like to think about it?"

Sean looked shocked.

Liz rose and went to him and left Cornelia to work with Sarah. "Sean, we can save your baby, we need your permission. There is no sense in losing both mother and child." She explained gently.

"I guess I'm not meant to be fully happy?" Sean said and looked at his delicate wife.

"Sean." She called softly. Sean went to his wife's side with tears in his eyes.

"Do it." She said. "Please, for the baby."

"Sarah." He took her hand.

"Please, Sean." She pleaded with him and fought with every breath the pain that was wracking her body.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Sean said to his wife and then looked at Liz and nodded.

"Did you bring it?" Liz turned to Nellie.

"Yes." Going to her bag Cornelia brought back the bottle and handkerchief.

"We can make the pain go away." Liz said softly.

Sean nodded and broke down in sobs. He let go of his wife's hand exited the room.

A half hour later, he heard the squawk of a baby. A seemingly healthy baby.

Nellie walked out of the room and held the child to him. "Here is your daughter, Mr. Malloy."

Sean looked up smiled at the beautiful girl in his arms. "She looks like her mother."

"She does. What are you going to name her?" Nellie asked, and tried not to notice Sean's deep blue eyes.

"Mary." He said and rocked when the baby fussed. "Mary Sarah Malloy."

"That's a grand name, Mr. Malloy." She turned and went back to help Liz clean up the room.

A few hours later, Liz exited the small room. They had found a woman to nurse the baby for the first three months, from there the baby would hopefully survive on regular milk. Nellie was in the apartment finishing up and comforting the other daughter, Katie. Liz leaned against the outer door and slid down to the floor. She finally lead her tears come. She had lost patients before but never in such a way.

Lady hurried over to her and cuddled up to her. Liz let the sobs consume her. She didn't hear anyone around her.

"Liz?" She heard the voice and froze.

"Max, what are you doing here?" She asked, surprised and tried to wipe away the tears.

"I was waiting for you when Sean found you." He said and stepped closer, his heart hurting at her distress. "You did what you could. How long have you and Cornelia Brighton been sneaking around together?"

"Two years." Liz said, not caring who heard. "Two years and we've never lost one like this." Liz threw her hands down and shoved herself up. "You know, that woman didn't have to die?" She said.

"What?" Max said astonished.

"If she could have had a doctor early on, or even if Nellie and I would have gotten here sooner, we could have stopped it."

"Liz, don't do this."

"It's true. But because the doctors are too good to come down here, and because medical aid is so hard to get, mothers die here all the time. Needlessly. If that would have been Isabel's pregnancy she would have been saved."

A pain slid through Max. "Liz don't speak like that."

"That's reality, Max! This is what I grew up in. It's not fair is it?"

"No, it's not fair." Max took a step closer. "It shouldn't have happened."

"No, it shouldn't. I couldn't help her." Liz said. "I couldn't help her, Max."

"You tried, Love." Max took her into his arms. "You can't help everybody." He stroked her hair as she sobbed into his chest.

* * *

"Nice of you to join us, Elizabeth." Nancy Parker exclaimed when Liz made her way into the ballroom. 

"You are only saved since Miss Brighton just got here as well."

Liz glared at her mother.

"You are not to go down there again, Elizabeth."

Liz turned to her father. "How did you know?"

"I always know." He gave her a grin.

"But…"

"There will be no buts." He said quietly, sternly. "Understood?"

"Yes." She looked down and glanced around the room. She caught sight of Cornelia they eyed each other carefully. Liz turned away before her eyes filled with tears. She saw Cornelia dab at her eye before smiling up at an admirer. Cornelia was a year older than Liz and as much sought after. Nellie had confided to her that it was only for a connection to her family, not her they wanted.

"Miss Parker." Liz turned and stared at Max. "May I speak with you?"

"Yes." She turned to him, and let him escort out to the terrace. "Thank you for bringing me out here."

"You're welcome." He studied her. He had seen her in her rags, and the day dress she had been wearing earlier, but the ball gown she had dawned made her look stunning. "You look beautiful." He told her.

She flushed. "Thank you."

"Are you adjusting to your new life?"

"As much as I can, it's been two years." She looked across the way. There was a garden below and the skyline of the other roofs surrounding the house. "I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel."

"You seem to be doing fine." Max said. Her hair was caught up from her face. He knew if she would have had more time, she would have had fancier. "Lots of admirers."

"Unfortunately." She answered. "They don't understand I don't want to be married."

"Liz," He said and stepped toward her. He took both of her hands and looked earnestly at her. "Give me a chance to explain before you reject me again."

"Max." She stepped back, but he wouldn't let her.

"No, Liz listen." He said and pulled her close and into the shadows. "Remember what happened today?"

"Please don't remind me of it, Mr. Evans." She felt trapped and so she used his formal name.

"Answer the question."

"I can't forget it!" She almost screamed at him. "You held me while I sobbed, and while I thank you, I don't want to remember right now."

"Liz, that sort of thing happens all the time out west." He took a firmer grip on her arms, adding pressure but not hurting her.

She froze. "What?"

"There aren't enough doctors." He said. "The ones there are stretched thin. There are no nurses."

He could see he had her attention.

"The other day, I heard of a woman dying in childbirth. I heard that if she could have had medical help, she would have survived. Unlike Mary Sarah, the baby wasn't saved either."

"No." She shook her head.

"Yes, Liz. There is now a man out there left to raise four children on his own because he couldn't get help." Max held her eye and said every word carefully. "Liz, we need help out there. The situation is getting out of control."

"I-I can't go out there by myself." She said. "I would. I can't Jim…my father, wouldn't let me." She said breathlessly. All those people she could help.

"I'm not asking you to go alone." He said.

"Nellie's parent's don't even know."

"No, not Nellie. Me." He said. "As my wife."

She stopped. She took a step back and he let her. "I couldn't just be a nurse, could I, Max?"

"No." He shook his head. "I'm offering you the chance to fulfill your dream without limits. I just want you to be your wife."

"And have your children."

"When the time comes." He dreamed of children. If she was honest with herself, she did too. Max's.

She searched his gaze, and her heart begged her to say yes. Those last two years, she knew that he would come back, she had been fighting off her love for him but it was difficult. Knowing that Max loved her, how could she deny her feelings?

"Fine." She nodded.

"Fine?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Max, I will marry you."

Smiling, Max looked down at her. "You're sure?"

"Yes." She said.

"Are you doing it for the people or for us?" Max asked as he took her hand.

"I haven't figured it out yet." She told him honestly.

"That's good enough." He took another step towards her and framed her face with his hardened hands. "For now." And he kissed her.

When they went back into the party, Max nodded at Jim.

Within the hour, the engagement was announced.

Liz caught Cornelia's glance and instead of the betrayal that she had been expecting, there was a burst of excitement.

Disregarding society's standards, Cornelia crossed the room to her friend. "Liz, this is exciting!"

"You're not upset?"

"No." She hugged her. "You're to go west then?"

"Yes." She nodded. "There are people who need help."

"I know." Nellie looked over at her sister who was on her husband's arm. "Aaron is going west too. He just told the family tonight. Ella knows about my nursing and convinced him to take me with. I'm going too!" The Brighton's were the Evans' bankers and needed a branch out west with them.

"That's so exciting, Nellie, I would have missed you dreadfully, and we make a good team."

"Yes."

"You're not upset, about Max?"

"No. He never would have loved me." She smiled at Liz. "I'll find someone else."

"I hope he makes you happy." Liz answered.

"I'll make sure of it."

**TBC (No we're not almost done)**


	14. New Mexico

Thank you all for the reviews, I'm glad you guys are likeing this. 

This is just a transition chapter. It's just moving us west and getting settled, the next chapter will have more in it.

**Chapter 14**

The train depot was crowded and Liz stayed close to her new husband. Clutching his arm she strained for a last view of her family. They had married earlier that day, Liz had changed from her beautiful wedding gown into a simple traveling gown.

Cassidy had been devastated when she learned that both her dear Mr. Evans and Aunt were going to leave. Though she was now thrilled that could call him Uncle Max. Serena had shed her own tears for her sister-in-law. But the breaking point was for Kyle. Liz had clutched him and was reluctant to let go when Max tugged her gently to his side. Kyle had been her best friend, had looked out for her since she was born, and been her confidant. Liz knew his heart had been breaking when she let go as well. Her mother and father were there as well, but their goodbyes had been less tearful. It had been polite and Liz was none to sorry to leave them.

The news that Nellie would not be joining her for another year at least was heartbreaking, but Liz assured her that they would in time see each other again.

"Come on, Love." Max directed her to the train compartment. Lady scampered along behind them and yapped. "Liz…"

"Lady, hush, that's enough." She laughed. "If you spoke to her more, she'd respond to your commands."

"She's your dog." Max said and bent to lift the dog onto the train. For once the dog didn't snap at him. Lady still viewed Max as the enemy, no matter how much he was around.

Lady growled. "Hush, dog." Max snipped.

Max took her hand and gently squeezed it. "Did you pack your light clothes on top? When we get closer to New Mexico it's going to get pretty warm."

"I'll be alright."

"You brought parasols right?" He said looking at her and touching her cheek. "You're skin is so pale I don't want you to burn."

"I won't." She said.

"Liz…" He stopped.

"Max, we're going to be fine, I'm going to be fine, Lady is going to be fine." Liz assured him.

"Are you sorry you had to leave your family?"

Liz paused for a moment. "Not sorry. We're going to start a new one, right?" She asked.

"Yes, our own." He caressed her cheek and was content. "When you're ready, as I promised."

* * *

The heat was more than Liz ever could have imagined. Poor Lady couldn't even find it in her to bark.

"Michael!" Max directed his wife through the crowd. He could see the heat was getting to her and he hoped she wouldn't faint on him.

"Maxwell, good to see you again." Michael greeted.

"Michael, Maria, this is my wife, Liz." Max said and held Liz close to him.

"Pleasure." Michael greeted her.

The two women eyed each other, gauging how the other would respond.

Liz felt the heavy gaze of the other woman and looked down. She tried to smile but decided it was safer to scoot closer to Max. Under her lashes Liz studied the woman. She wasn't much taller than herself, but was blonde as Liz was dark. Her eyes as blue as Liz's were brown.

"Hello, Mrs. Evans." The woman said over brightly.

"Mrs. Guerin." Liz said quietly. She looked up at Max and knew she had to look a mess. She had just stepped off a train after five days travel. Her clothes were wrinkled and her hair mussed. "I hope you excuse my appearance, we've come a long way."

Studying the woman across from her, Maria Guerin decided she like her.

"You should have seen me when I got off the train, at least you're amiable." Maria grabbed her arm and drew her to her side. "I was a horrible, and it wasn't even my first day."

Liz let out a nervous laugh and looked back at Max to save her.

Maria ignored her new friend's appeal for help and tugged her along. "Your accent, Mrs. Evans, where are you from?" She asked bravely. "And excuse me if I'm impolite in asking."

Liz's nervous eyes flew to Max, back East no one had dared question, though they all knew. "Please, call me, Liz. And it's Irish, I was born in Galway."

"Liz, please call me Maria then." She stopped. "Looks like we'll fit in perfectly." Maria said happily. "I'm just a coal miner's daughter."

Liz let a surprised laugh escape her. "Out here, honey," Maria started. "It doesn't matter where you're from. Our men marry whom they please, when they please. Is that your dog?"

"Yes, her name is Lady." Liz said liking Maria as time passed.

"She's for protection?"

"Sort of, more of a companion."

"Good, she'd do nothing for you out here." Maria said and then glanced at her attire. "You must be hot, honey."

"Desperately." Liz laughed. "I didn't think Max really meant this hot."

"You've got a lot to learn about hot, honey."

"I guessed that." Liz breathed as they began their journey to her new home.

* * *

They had been home the whole afternoon and Maria and Liz still had yet to part company. Max wanted to show his wife her home in peace but Liz seemed to be enjoying the other woman so much he couldn't bear to send the Guerins home.

Max climbed the stairs to his wife's rooms and heard the eager chatter; he had never heard Liz so lively, chatting so much. He imagined this was how she was in a setting where she was comfortable and wondered if she would become eager to talk to him in the near future.

Max smiled when he found them discussing clothing.

"Here, I'll send over a few of my clothes until you can have some made for you. What you brought is light for New York, honey."

"I'll have to speak to Max first." Liz said unsure. Maria's lighter blouse and skirt felt wonderful. "And I couldn't possibly take your clothes."

"Oh please, I have plenty, and you're the only woman I can share with."

"Alright." She nodded.

Lady started barking and Liz ignored her. She walked over to the window to study her new yard. There were little patches of grass and she wondered how they survived.

"Maria, how much of this does my husband own?"

"As far as you can see." Maria said.

"Truly?" Liz asked.

"Yes." Maria said. "It's hard to accept at first." She walked over to the window. "Michael owns nearly as much. I'm just a coal miner's daughter, never in a hundred years would I ever even thought I would be married to this. Liz, why is your dog barking?"

"Hmm?" She really needed to get on Lady's case about her barking. "Oh, Max is coming."

"She barks at Max?"

"She doesn't like him." Liz explained. "Come on Lady, that's enough now."

The dog started barking more.

"What in the world?" Liz went to the hall to see why her dog hadn't obeyed. Max held the squirming animal in his arms as he climbed the stairs.

"Max, put my dog down." Liz laughed.

"She's going to bite me."

"She won't bite you." Liz said trying to hold her laughter.

"She will." He said.

"Give her to me." Liz said and took the dog into her arms. The dog quieted then Liz turned to him. "Come here, Max."

Max stepped closer. Liz took his hand and held it to the dogs face. "Good girl." She said quietly to Lady. Lady sniffed his hand. She licked it. Max grimaced but the dog ceased it's barking. "Now hold her."

Max didn't want anything to do with the dog, but he saw the look of hope on his wife's face and held the dog. She didn't bark but neither was comfortable.

Max stopped when he noticed it was one of the few times his wife had voluntarily touched him. He smiled gently at her. "I'll be nice to your dog."

"You were never mean to her." Liz said. "She's just testy."

"Is Maria staying for supper?" Max asked.

"Yes." She nodded and looked at him. "If that is ok?"

"Yes, yes, that's fine. You're mistress of the house; you decide who will join us now. You just have to tell the cook how many."

"I'll do that now."

* * *

Later, after Maria had gone home, Max escorted Liz to their rooms.

He stopped outside their room.

Liz looked up at him. Here came the awkward part. They hadn't felt right on the train, they had slept next to each other, but had not made love. "Max."

"It's alright." He smiled gently at her. "Just change love, and meet me in my room."

Her eyes widened. "Walk through the hall in my nightclothes?"

"No, there's a connecting door, love." He smiled.

"Oh." She nodded and her cheeks flushed. "I hadn't noticed."

"Don't be nervous." He said and nudged her towards the door. "You have nothing to be nervous about."

She nodded and turned into her room and shut the door behind her. She went through her necessaries and sat down at her vanity. Her hands shaking, she wondered if she would make it through the night intact. The brush shook as she gently brushed it from the thick knot at her neck, that Maria had shown her kept the heat from her neck.

Hair brushed and neatly braided she stood and grabbed her dressing gown. Slipping it on she tied the belt tight at her waist before walking to the joining door.

She knocked. "Come in."

With one last breath she opened the door. She stepped into the room with Lady trailing behind her.

"Is she going to stay?" Max asked.

"You know she'll have a fit if she's not." Liz turned to her and spoke softly to the dog who in turn went to the fire and laid down within seconds she was in a deep sleep. "There."

"Come here, Liz." Max held his hand to her.

She placed her hand in his and he looked her in the eye. "You don't have to be afraid."

"I don't know what I'm doing." She said quietly.

"I know." And it pleased him. "You'll be fine. You've slept by my side for three nights." And in those nights she had snuggled so close to him, he knew she trusted him on some level. With every jostle of the train she had moved towards him, every sudden noise had startled her and in her slumber, she had turned to him for comfort.

She nodded but looked away from him.

"Come just sleep by me, Liz, we'll work on the rest slowly." He led her to the bed.

Trusting him she let him lead her to the bed.

* * *

The next morning Liz woke to a small noise in the room. It was warm and she had removed all covers but the thin sheet. A maid bustled happily in the room, setting things about. She turned when she heard Liz shift. 

"Morning." The woman bustled brightly. "I'm Ellie, the upstairs maid." She introduced. "Mr. Evans told me to tell you he went down to breakfast."

"I shall join him there then." Liz said and blushed when she realized she was still in Max's bed.

"It's good to have you, Mrs. Evans." The maid excused herself as she let her mistress get ready.

Liz couldn't find her dog but didn't worry too much about it. She was probably about exploring her new home, something she had yet to do. She made her way downstairs to the informal dining room. Lady sat at Max's side, her tail wagging furiously.

"Morning, Max." She smiled shyly at her new husband.

"Good morning, beautiful." He stood. "Have a seat, I was just waiting for you to come down."

"Thank you." She said and took her seat to her right. "You'll show me around the house today?"

"Yes, I was planning to yesterday."

"I apologize."

"No need." He said. "You were having fun. I was thinking I could take you to meet the doctor later as well."

"I would love that. Does he know I'm here?"

"Yes, he looked vastly relieved that he would receive some help. He has a young family at home to worry about as well."

"I see." She nodded. "I would be delighted."

"I know." He said. "And we'll go into town and order you new outfits."

Liz nodded. "Sounds wonderful."

**tbc**


	15. Riding

**S**orry for the wait!

**Chapter 15**

It had been three weeks since the Evans had moved west.

Liz ran into the house and upstairs to her room to change. She was already late for supper and wondered if Max would be angry with her. She had never been late before, but there was an emergency and she couldn't leave. Hurrying down the stairs and into the dining room, Liz paused to study her husband's reaction.

"Good evening." He stood.

Liz approached cautiously. Jim Valenti had always been angry if she was late for anything on account of a patient. She sat at the chair to her husband's right.

"I'm sorry I'm late." She said quietly.

"It's alright." Max said. "Did everything go as planned?"

"Yes." Liz answered and glanced up at her husband. "You're not angry, for me being late?"

"Why would I be, you've work to do. There will be times when I am late or miss supper all together."

She smiled gratefully. "It won't happen often."

"I know." He pulled something from his vest pocket. "You've got two letters in the mail today."

Her eyes lit up. "From who?"

"One from Cassidy and one from Serena." He handed them to her. "Go ahead and read them."

The first one was addressed to _Mrs. Max Evans, Aunt Liz._

_Dear Aunt Liz, _

_It has been a long time or so it seems since you and Uncle Max left. Our assignment for school was to write a letter to a relative using correct form. Other girls do not have relatives far away so I'm lucky. I miss you. _

_Patricia Delaney and her friends are already wearing long dresses, instead of the frocks we wear at Miss Milton's school for young girls. It does not seem fair. Mummy says in time I will be old enough. We are also designing proper calling cards and I have enclosed one for you. If you leave it on your calling plate you can pretend I visited you. I love you and Uncle Max, Aunt Liz. I hope to hear from you soon._

_Yours,_

_Cassidy Parker-Valenti_

Liz smiled as she read the letter out loud to Max.

"Surely she's too young to wear long dresses."

"Oh yes, she has a few more years." Liz giggled. "She won't wear them until she attends Mrs. Milton's for Girls." The three levels of schools Cassidy was to attend was confusing, and Liz often wondered who came up with the name. There was Miss Milton's for Young girls. Mrs. Milton's for girls, and Madame Milton's for young ladies—which was a finishing school.

"I see, and the next one, from Serena." He nodded towards it; he had already gotten a letter from Kyle and knew what it contained.

_Dear Liz,_

_I hope you're happy there, in your new life. Things have been going well. Logan saw a mini portrait of you yesterday in my bedroom and asked "Aunt Liz?" I think he misses you. The portraits of your wedding reached us today; Nancy says she'll forward them to you, although I wonder why she did not have them sent to you straight away. _

_I never know what is on that woman's mind._

_I'm sure Cassidy wrote to you about her frocks, the girl is growing up too fast for my liking, Liz. You are as well. When I married Kyle you were only twelve years old, now you're a wise old eighteen, soon to have a family of your own. _

_Liz, I do not understand how you have put up with your mother for so long. I told myself that I wouldn't tell you about what was going on here, but please answer me this, how did you have the guts to defy her? I must admit that I'm lonely here, without you, sister. Say hello to your husband for me, and be happy._

_Yours,_

_Serena Parker-Valenti_

"She's sad." Liz whispered. She hadn't read this one aloud knowing this was a more private, woman to woman conversation.

Max knew a lot more of what was going on at the Valenti household. Nancy had gone on a rampage since her only daughter had left. Part of Max felt guilty for leaving the rest of Liz's family to deal with the wrath without Liz, the one person who could control her. The rest resented Jim Valenti for not putting his foot down.

"I hope she'll be alright." She set the letter down and stared at it, her eyes filling with tears. "Mama can be…difficult." She shrugged. "I don't know what has gotten into her, really. In Ireland she was never so…controlling I would use."

"Do you miss it?" Max asked gently, to steer her mind away from such a hurtful topic. "Ireland?"

"Sometimes." She said. "There's something of your homeland that will always be with you, whether it's another country or state. Do you miss New York?"

"Yes." He answered. "Though not nearly as much as I thought I would, if I'm honest. I like the openness here."

"Me too." She smiled shyly at him.

"So was it a boy or girl?"

"Twin boys." Liz smiled. "That's why it took so long; we weren't expecting the second one."

"That's exciting." Max acknowledged his wife's happiness. He also studied her carefully, knowing that she could very well be carrying his child now.

* * *

Max heard the clang of a sewing machine as he walked upstairs. He had left early that morning and was anxious to see his wife.

He stopped in the doorway to watch expecting to see her reading or some other form of entertainment. It had never dawned on him that it would be her that would be at the sewing machine. She was humming a tune to herself in time with her foot, pumping the large metal pedal.

The sun was streaming threw the open windows and lit her face. Contrary to his belief that she would burn in the harsh New Mexican sun, her skin had turned a lovely golden hue. He knew the ladies of New York would be scandalized but the women here envied her.

"What are you doing?" He asked walking slowly inside.

"Oh, I'm making more skirts. The material came in this morning and I can't continue to wear Maria's." She said quickly.

"You do know I can hire someone to make your clothing for you."

"Yeah, I know." Liz said but looked away. "But…"

"What?"

"I sort of like to do it myself."

"Why?"

The week before she had knit a new quilt for the bed. It was beautiful but not necessary.

"I…" She kept avoiding his eyes.

"What, Liz?" He asked lightly gripping her chin so she had to keep eye contact.

"I have to…I…I'm bored, Max."

"Bored?" It had never occurred to him that she would be bored.

"I know it sounds absurd." She said wringing her hands in embarrassment. "I should be happy that I have servants and the like."

"Liz, talk to me."

"But, I'm so used to having something to do. There are only so many women out here who can give birth. The rest of the time I'm just here. In New York, I was cleaning when I was young, and studying and attending college when I was older. I didn't have time to be bored."

"I see." He said and looked out the window.

"I'm sorry. You work so hard, you don't have time to worry about entertaining me."

"I'm your husband, it's my job to worry about if you're happy or not."

"I am happy."

"You can't be if you're bored."

"I said I'm bored, not unhappy." She clarified. "I'm very happy."

"Good." He smiled and stepped closer to her. "I'll see what I can do to make you unbored."

She laughed right before his mouth closed down on hers, instantly her whole body went lax.

* * *

"Liz." Max bent and kissed his wife awake the next morning. "Wake up, darling."

She burrowed under her pillows and tried to curl closer to the warmth Max's body usually provided. Feeling the emptiness, she immediately opened her eyes. She had started to sense when he wasn't in bed with her any longer. In the morning she woke just minutes after he left the bed.

"Good morning, my darling." He smiled at her confused look. "It's about time you woke."

"It can't have been too long since you've gotten out of bed." Liz stretched. The sun was streaming through the open windows, a warm breeze filtered in.

"It's not." He said. It was later than he usually slept but with his wife snug against him he could have easily slept all day. "Get up, Maria and Michael are coming."

"Really?" She scrunched her eyebrows it was Wednesday, what could they be doing, usually Max had lots of work. "Why?"

"We're going out, I don't want you to be bored."

She stepped from the bed and reached for her wrapper. Max smiled when he noticed she didn't shy from being naked in his presence.

"Do you have work?"

"It can wait, darling, put these on." He handed her clothes.

Expecting a skirt she shook out the garment. "Max, these are riding pants."

"Yes." He nodded, watching closely for her reaction. "We're going riding."

"I figured that, but we have two problems. One, I don't know how to ride, and two these are pants and I don't have a riding skirt."

"I'm going to teach you to ride, and you're going to wear those pants."

"I can't wear pants, not with Michael or Maria." She looked at him her face full of shock.

"But you can with me?"

"Of course." She said and looked again at the pants.

He smirked, delighted with her acceptance of him. "Maria is going to wear pants. Out here ladies ride astride." Max smiled. "It's perfectly acceptable. If you wear a skirt they're going to think you are crazy."

Liz looked skeptically at the pants. "If you insist."

"I'll meet you downstairs in a half hour."

"Alright."

Holding onto the rail she stepped carefully down the stairs. The unfamiliar pants covered her every bit as well as her skirts, but gave her a great deal of freedom.

Max met her at the bottom of the stairs. "Don't be nervous you're fine."

"Couldn't I wear bloomers or something?" She asked taking his arm. "I feel scandalous in these."

"Bloomers, they allow a lady no freedom." Maria tisked.

As Max indeed had promised she was wearing riding pants as well.

"You ready to head out, Maxwell, my son is getting a little restless." The boy riding in Michael Guerin's arms was the miniature of his father. Both had on a loose shirt and Levis. When the boy was stood on his own chubby little legs, his belt buckle had a MG on it, identical to his father's.

"Liz, this is our son, Matthew." Maria said. "He's going to be turning three this summer."

Liz's face broke out in a smile. "Quite the western man there."

"Yes." Maria beamed proudly.

"Ready to go?" Max asked turning to his wife.

"Yes." Liz took a deep breath.

Max led her across the yard. She watched as Maria swung easily into the saddle, settling herself. Max waited till Michael was seated to pass up the straw-haired boy. A cowboy hat was settled on both father and son's head. Maria had one as well, though hers was more feminine.

Max walked over and took two hats from the groom who held the horse steady.

"Where's you're horse?" Liz asked looking at the animal.

"We'll share for today, until you get used to being on a horse." Max lifted her into the saddle. Her legs tightened instinctively and the horse nickered softly. "Relax, darling."

"It's really high." She said holding desperately to the saddle horn. "You're coming up right?"

"Right behind you, darling." He said. With an ease that surprised her, Max was behind her. He took the reigns from the groom and thanked him.

"Let go of the horn." He said softly in her ear.

She did, he gripped it around her keeping her close within his arms.

Her hands held his arms and she relaxed.

Max nodded to Michael.

Maria gave Liz a reassuring look as she clicked to the horse to set it off at a slow canter out. Liz watched as Michael's arms came securely around his son as he too sent his horse off, the child I a wild fit of laughter.

Max started off at a walk until he felt Liz relax against him and then he clicked to the horse and he took to a canter, not wanting to be left in the dust by his friends.

Exhausted, smiling and happy, Liz washed herself in the porcelain bathtub. The indoor plumbing was a luxury Liz was getting used to. The warm water smoothed away her cramped legs and washed the sweet smell of horses away.

Max heard the water pipes overhead shut off, and the water begin to drain. He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, wondering if he should give Liz the letters her mother had sent. The last one from Kyle had stated how upset Nancy Parker was at Liz for not returning them. Max had not read them, but knew they would bring nothing but sadness for his young wife.

The news Kyle had written him about was not good, and Liz was going to want to fix it.

"Enter." Max called when someone knocked on the door.

"Mr. Evans, the doctor is here, requesting Mrs. Evans' presence."

Thankful for the reprieve, Max nodded. "She just stepped out of the bath, but I'll send a maid up to her. She'll be down soon. I'll tell her where to meet you?"

"Yes, the Brown's, edge of town. There was an accident at the construction site. Mr. Brown was deeply injured, it will be a miracle if we can save his leg. The shock of it has sent Mrs. Brown into early labor." The doctor straightened. He was young and handsome and if he hadn't been happily married, Max would not allow Liz to work beside the man.

"Ok." He said. "I'll tell her to hurry."

"I'd appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Evans."

"You're welcome, Doctor, but please call me Max."

"Then I am Adam."

Max nodded and watched the man walk out before going up to get Liz himself.

**TBC**


	16. An Argument

**Chapter 16**

Max listened as Lady's claws clicked along the wooden floors. He knew Liz was home. She had told him not to wait up that it would be late when she returned home but he had been worried about her.

He heard the taps running again and knew Liz would wash up before going to bed. Lady hopped in through the open door. She took her place by the fire and settled down with a yawn. Max smiled at the little animal and settled back. The taps turned off and he heard Liz's soft footfalls on the carpet. She went to the closet, took out her night dress and robe. Tying her hair back into a braid, she slipped the gown on and went through the door.

Not saying anything she went around the side of the bed and climbed in. She scooted into Max's side his arms automatically came around her.

Despite the warm night air she was trembling.

"What's wrong, darling?" He asked.

"You're awake, I told you not to wait up." She said into his chest. She had always burrowed into him in sleep and he found it sweet.

"I can't sleep without you wrapped up in me." He said into your hair. "I have to feel you else I'll be awake all hours."

She raised her head. He reached over and flipped on the small bedside lamp. The electricity in the house still shocked her. He saw the sadness in her eyes and the worry, and pulled her closer.

"What's wrong, what happened?" He lifted her chin.

"Oh, Max." She said clinging to him. "I just wasn't prepared for it, that's all."

"Is there a new little Brown child?" He asked.

"Barely." She said. "If he survives this night, then we're one step closer. The babe is lucky he was born in the summer when the weather is warmer for him."

"That is good." Max nodded. "And Mr. and Mrs. Brown?"

"Mrs. Brown came out alright. She's had five children and carried easily each time. Mr. Brown though, he might lose his leg. If it cleans and goes well, then he might have use of it again, but if not he'll lose it."

"You did fine." Max said. "You did everything you could."

"I know."

"Go to sleep, love. You're a wonderful nurse."

"Thank you." She settled back down with his hands in her hair and let him comfort her.

* * *

Liz awoke shortly after Max again and rose to get dressed. She heard the water running in the bath and knew he would be shaving. Putting on her skirt and blouse she gathered Maria's clothes and planned to return them later that day.

"I have something for you." Max exited the adjoining bathroom.

"What?" Liz looked up. She wrapped her hair in a tight bun at the nape of her neck, leaving no hair to get in her face as she worked. Picking up the light bonnet she set it on her head.

"You're going out now?" Max asked holding a package.

"Yes." She gently tied the strings so it wouldn't blow in the breeze. "I'm going to check on the Browns. I asked Madeline to fix something for the family." She said speaking of the cook.

"Open your present first, darling." He said as she stood up.

She took the package from him and was surprised at it's weight. Setting it down on the bed she opened the package. Her breath caught.

A magnifying glass along with a book on desert plants lay before her. Another smaller book was on insects of the west.

"Kyle told me you were into biology." Max said when she didn't say anything. "I wasn't sure what to get you, so I got you this."

She picked up the magnifying glass and turned it in her hands.

"There's a whole catalog downstairs on biology. There's an article on that French Chemist and his wife."

"The Currie's?" She looked, it was the first time she had said anything.

"Yes."

"Thank you." She said it simply. "Thank you, so much, Max." She held the books.

"The catalog, downstairs, you can order anything you want from it. There's a room, upstairs, that you can make into your lab if you wish." He stuttered through. "I won't be able to keep you entertained all the time, and I thought I should give you something to do. So you won't be bored. I know now with the Browns you'll be busy, but when you have time. I can have a carpenter come in and make shelves and things. Anything."

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. Her heart was bursting with love for him. She didn't know how to say the words. If there was any doubt in her that he didn't love her it fled.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry." He took a step towards her.

"No." She held the books closer, her voice was clogged with tears. "You can't know what this means to me."

He could see it in her eyes. He wanted to hear the words. He needed to hear them.

She set the books down and walked slowly towards him. Liz took his face between his palms.

"You don't know what you've done for me." She told him quietly. "And I'm not just talking about the science kit and books. Everything."

"I think I know."

"No." She told him. "You don't. I don't express it. You brought me away from everything. I was being suffocated there. You let me be me." She looked over at the bed where her present laid. "You even encourage it."

"Liz."

"I love you, Max." She said it quickly before she ran out of courage. "I've always loved you." Her accent was thick. "_Gráim thú_." she whispered.

He pulled her snug against him. "You know I've always loved you, Liz."

"That, I've always known." She said and stepped back. "I have to get over to the Browns. I'll be home this evening. Thank you again."

"You're welcome, my darling."

* * *

Max reread the telegram for the fourth time. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. He heard the tell-tale scamper of paws on the floor outside his study and knew his wife would be joining him any minute.

BRINGING FAMILY WEST. stop. HAVE FATHER'S APPROVAL. stop. SEE YOU AT STATION. stop. THANK YOU.

She was going to want to know why they were coming, and he was going to have to explain it to her.

The door swung open and Liz walked in her face rosy, her eyes lit up. "There's so much in here, Max."

"I know." He didn't want to see the light leave her eyes.

She noticed his tone anyway.

"What?" Her heart tripped in her throat. "What, Max?"

"Liz, there's something, I need to tell you."

Her knees buckled. He caught her around the waist and led her to a chair. "What, Max."

"Kyle and Serena are going to bring their family out here."

"That's not bad." Liz said her eyes lighting up.

"I know. But there reason they're coming here is."

"It's Mama, isn't it?"

Max was stunned. "How'd you know."

"I knew she would be difficult once I left." She said. "It's something I've always known and I've been wondering about. It's a wonder she hasn't started writing to me yet."

Max gulped. His hesitation had Liz looking up.

"She has, hasn't she?" She tilted her head, studying her husband. She pulled her hands from his. "Do you have them at least?"

He went to his desk and pulled them out. He handed them to her and stared at the stack. He watched as her eyes, usually so full of expression, so easy to read, emptied. No emotion could be seen. She was blank. There was a bit of hurt, of anger, but she quickly suppressed that as well.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to ruin your day. You were so happy with the Brown's progress."

"Thank you for giving these to me, Max. I'm going to upstairs to read them." She stood her back rigid. All laughter gone. The catalog she had dog-eared was left on the chair. He shivered at her treatment. The way she had closed herself off.

Max could only watch her. She stopped with her hand on the doorknob.

"Why do the people in my life feel like they need to run it?" She didn't turn around. "They claim to love me, and then they hide things from me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my self, making my own decisions." He heard her voice squeeze on a sob. "I wish…I wish they would trust me to decide for myself."

"Liz, wait, I love you." He stepped towards her.

Now she turned around. Stared at him. "So does Mama." She gave a mirthless laugh. "Funny, she says she loves me and only wants what's best for me. Just like you."

He hated that she was comparing him to her mother, he really did have what's best at heart for her.

Shrugging she jerked open the door and shut it softly behind her.

* * *

Max lay in bed. He had looked in on Liz before coming up to bed. She had dressed in her nightclothes but refused to come to bed yet. He had a maid take dinner to her. He knew if he ordered it she would have joined him at the table. But he wouldn't order her to do anything.

He heard the door next door creak open. He held his breath waiting to see what she would do. He heard her enter his room and stare at his bed. Then with a sigh she turned and closed the door separating the two rooms.

Max rolled over onto his side praying sleep would come.

And knew it wouldn't.

"Max, where's your wife?" Maria asked as she walked into Max's study. He was in a business meeting with her husband so she had no qualms about interrupting the men.

"Out back." He looked up. "Why?"

"Woman things." She waved her hand impatiently as she turned. "I'll see you at home, Michael, don't wait for me."

"Yes, ma'am." He muttered when his wife was already out of the room.

"How did you get such a sweet tempered wife?" Michael asked leaning back. "Liz wouldn't dream of treating you that way."

"Liz has her own way. She doesn't burn you like your wife, she'll freeze you instead. Don't cross her, Michael, for one she'll be angry at you, and two, I'll be angry at you for upsetting my wife." Max thought of the way she had closed down all emotion the week before when she had found out about the letters. She still wasn't speaking to him.

"Is that what she's done to you, Max? Frozen you out?"

"Yes." Max said.

"When was the last time you slept?" Michael asked out of concern for his friend. He had been out of sorts all week and he hadn't been able to pin down why.

"Last week sometime." Max answered. "I would rather not talk about it."

"You should."

"I said I would rather not."

"Your call, Maxwell, but we have an important meeting coming up and if you're not rested then I'm going to be angry."

"I'll be fine." Max growled. "Just drop it."

"If you insist." Michael held up his hand in peace.

"I do." Max nodded and looked back down at the stack of papers on his desk hoping to get his mind of Liz and actual work done.

* * *

Liz startled when Max walked into her room. She had thought it odd at first that she had her own room in her husband's house. Then she had discovered she spent her nights in his room and hers was nothing more than storage space. For the past week it had been her sleeping space as well. 

She didn't look at him. Not directly. She stared at him through her mirrors.

"Liz."

"Hmmn?" She lifted an eyebrow. Something she had perfected after a week with the Brown children.

"Is there something you need to share with me?" Max asked as he took the brush from her hand.

"What?" She asked. He couldn't know could he?

"I think you know what I mean." He said gently.

"Max, I don't." She shook her head. How could he know she wasn't even sure himself.

"Would you like some breakfast, wife, Madeline made bacon and sausage and eggs." He said watching her face in the mirrors. "I would like you to join me."

Her face turned pale as her stomach rolled in revulsion. If he didn't move she would be sick on him.

She made it to the bathroom in time.

"It's been a week since you've joined me, is there something you'd like to discuss?"

"I'd rather you not watch me be sick." She said into the bowl. "And I don't want to discuss anything."

"It's been three months since our marriage, Liz, two of which you had no…"

"Alright, don't say it!" She would have flushed if she hadn't been heaving her guts out.

"You're a nurse, you shouldn't be embarrassed."

"I may be nurse, but I'm still a woman!" She said. "In case you've forgotten."

He hadn't forgotten and now that she was carrying his baby he couldn't.

"You've seen the doctor." He asked quietly.

"Yes." She stayed kneeling and let her stomach settle again.

"Were you going to tell me or just let me think you gained weight?" He asked.

"It's not fun when someone keeps secrets from you." She said quietly. "I was going to tell you, Max. I just got the confirmation yesterday."

He walked towards her and took her hair in his hands, pulling it away from her face. "How do you feel about this, Liz?"

"Ask me in a few minutes." She said trying to make it sound light. "You'll like the answer better then."

"Liz." He said.

"I'm happy about it." She said after a moment. "Hand me my cloth?"

He stood and got it for her after wetting it.

"Thank you." She washed her face and set it back down. He swept her into his arms and carried her through the door and into his room. He laid her gently on the bed and pulled the covers down. Stripping her down till she was in her undergarments he pulled the covers back up. "I'm not a child, Max, and I have things to do."

"Rest." He said and pushed her hair back. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You need it." His hand rested under the sheets over her abdomen. His face filled with wonder as he stared down at it. She put her hand over his.

"You're happy about it too?" She asked her eyes searching his face.

"I'm very happy about it." He said.

"Then lay down with me?" She asked. "I haven't slept in a week. Remember what you told me about you needing me in your arms? I need to be in your arms." She whispered. "I need to feel you, to feel safe."

He removed his clothes and slipped under the covers with her. She fit perfectly against him sighing much at the time he had.

"Rest now, my darling." He whispered. "I'm here."

"Don't hide anything from me anymore, Max."

"No." He said quietly. "I won't." Then he paused a moment. Smiled.

"There's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"Did I mention twins run in my family?"

"Really?" She leaned on elbows to see his face.

"Sure as the sky's blue."

She looked away a moment thinking then looking back at him with sparkling eyes. "If I have two little boys that look like you, I'd be happy."

"How about two little girls, that look like you?" He kissed her nose. "Then I'd be happy."

"One of each?" She compromised.

"Perfect." He nodded. "Whatever we have is perfect."

**TBC**


	17. Serena and Kyle Join The Evans

**I'm so sorry, I didn't notice I was so behind on this board so I'll post two chapters today. **

**Chapter 17**

Maria walked in with Matthew secure on her hip.

Maria told her to remember to remind Liz what a generous husband she had. A young child was screaming from the back of the house that served as a clinic.

Maria didn't know the whole story but Max, had allowed his wife to set up clinic in the far back of the house. The clinic was made up of two rooms, a waiting room and an examining room. Liz had few patients usually cuts and bruises and anything that didn't need the doctors attention. With the town growing the doctor had more matters on his mind than what he could handle. Both Liz and the doctor were eagerly awaiting the coming of Nellie Brighton, a nurse from New York, and old friend of Liz's.

Someone Maria wasn't so sure about.

"Hi, Aunt Liz." Matthew said walking into the waiting room. She had just sent out a colicky baby and had been hoping for a rest.

"Hello, Matthew." She smiled. "Mrs. Sullivan, if you would give the baby this," she handed the woman a tonic, "he should be alright. And make sure to burp him after meals."

"Yes, thank you Mrs. Evans." The woman said again, thankful that her child had settled down. "I'll bring him back next week."

"Good, have a nice day."

"You too." The woman walked out.

"So, Matthew what are you and your mother up to today?"

"We go to the lake." He said happily. "Aunt Liz come too?"

"I can't, I'm busy, sweetheart." She said, and a hand smoothed over her gently rounded belly. "And my husband would be upset if I went out without him."

"Oh, Liz, he can't watch you all the time. You're a nurse for heaven's sake you know what you're doing."

"I know." Liz smiled. "But I like to humor him, make him feel like he's in charge."

"That's the way we have to play it." Maria said. She loved seeing her friend happy.

"True." Liz smiled. Her face focused outside where her husband was talking with Michael.

* * *

Nancy Parker-Valenti stood watching her daughter-in-law pack. Her arms were over her chest, obviously she was upset.

Serena ignored her.

"You know a maid could do that for you."

"I prefer to do it myself." Serena said calmly adding another outfit to Logan's pack.

"Why are you doing this, taking my only son and grandchildren from me?" Nancy asked looking hurt.

Serena didn't bother to glance up. She knew there would be tears in her mother-in-law's eyes and her face would be a mask of hurt. All of it fake.

"Because your son is my husband, and your grandchildren are my children. I do believe that makes me able to take them where I want to go."

"You talked Kyle into this he would have never hurt me like this." Nancy accused.

Serena let that go. It had been Kyle's idea but she didn't want Nancy wrath coming down on Kyle.

"We will bring the children to visit you." Serena said calmly. She had long since given up trying to deal with her husband's mother. "We will hardly keep them from you. Cassidy will write you directly and Logan will once he's older."

"There can't be any decent schooling out there for a young girl like her. You should leave her with me and Jim. She can stay at Miss Milton's that way."

Serena straightened. "No."

"I could convince Jim. I think it would be best if she were to stay with us."

"No." Serena said again, her voice bland. She couldn't do that, Kyle would stop her right? Not her baby girl. "Kyle would not allow it."

"Kyle does what my husband says." Nancy said smugly.

"Not," Serena replied with a deadly calm. "When it involves his children." She hoped.

"We'll see."

"We will." Serena said bravely. She walked to the padded window seat where Logan had fallen asleep. Closing her eyes she prayed Nancy wouldn't keep her baby.

* * *

Max watched his wife in her excitement, happy that she was happy. Her small frame showed the evidence of their child beneath her skirts. Her skin was flushed and her eyes sparkled as they looked up at him.

"This is their train, Max." She gripped his hand tighter. She hadn't let go since they got to the station. Three months after their first argument his wife was fully open with him. If she had something on her mind she said it, if she was sad she told him, if she was happy…well if she was happy it burst through her.

"I know, darling." He smiled at her.

"Do you think Cassidy will like the pony we got her? I don't think she's ever ridden before."

"Everything will be fine." Max reassured her. "I'll teach her how to ride."

"I know, I know." She was jumpy, something she rarely was. Her hands fidgeted she reached up to smooth her hair, smooth it over her tummy. All the while her left hand stayed securely in his.

"Aunt Liz!" She heard the shout. Liz turned excitedly, "Aunt Liz!"

"I'm right here, sweetie." She bent down as the girl barreled into her. She let go of Max's hand for the moment. "Oh,I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Aunt Liz." She said excitedly and looked around. "Hi, Uncle Max, I missed you too."

"I missed you too, Cassidy." He smiled down at her. "I'm glad you'll be joining us."

Kyle and Serena joined them with Logan firm in Serena's arms.

"Do you remember me, Logan?" Liz asked tentatively. It had been months and young children had short memories.

His face lit up with a smile. "Aunt Liz!"

"Yes, sweetheart, Aunt Liz." She hugged him.

Serena and Liz eyed each other and slow smiles spread across their faces.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Serena asked.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Liz quipped. Both women were clearly carrying another child.

"It's hardly something I would write in a letter." Serena blushed. "Especially to my younger sister."

"Same reason, except you're older." Liz studied the other woman. Her eyes looked tired and her body looked frail, despite the child she carried. "Are you alright?"

"I will be." Serena answered honestly.

"Was it bad, I'm sorry I left you to deal with her? I'm really sorry."

"It's ok." Serena said. "It wouldn't do for both of us to be unhappy, would it?"

"Now we'll both be happy. Serena, I hope you like your home, it's not finished yet, but it will be by next month, you'll stay with us."

"We'll be able to catch up then." Serena shifted Logan and passed him to her husband when he grew too heavy.

"Good." Liz didn't miss the quick glance around and Serena reach out to pull her daughter closer to her.

"We're not supposed to have Cassidy." They sat in Liz's sitting room while Liz let her hair down. She sighed when the weight fell against the back of the chair. Taking her brush, she began to brush it straight.

"Why not?" Liz asked surprise evident in her expression. "Where is she supposed to be?"

"If Nancy had her way she would be in New York." Serena said.

"But why?"

"To hurt me." Serena said simply. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you."

"Oh, yes, she does, Elizabeth." Serena began to undo her own hair. "If it weren't for me, Kyle would have made some advantageous marriage, preferably to one of the Brightons. Without me, your family would forget that they were ever part of the…the poorer part of society."

"What?" Liz asked stepping closer to her sister-in-law. "How can you say that?"

"I have no connection to anyone."

"And my mother does?" Liz asked.

"She's married to Jim Valenti. The love of his life." She said. "Your father loves your mother."

"I know." Liz said. "That's true, but you're married to his son. The love of his son's life." She took her face in her hands. "My mother would hate Nellie Brighton if she married Kyle, she hates Max because he married me. She doesn't like anyone who threatens her family."

"But, Liz." Serena tried to get her to see, to understand. "She looks at me and sees all that she's tried to get away from. I open my mouth and its Ireland she hears."

"And what do you think she hears from me?" Liz asked. She let her accent become more pronounced. "I speak just like you do."

"She's becoming unbearable, Liz." Serena said quietly. "We got into arguments everyday."

"It's safe here, now." Liz tried to comfort her sister-in-law. "You don't have to worry about her."

"She's coming."

Liz froze. Setting the brush on the table she stood. "When, Serena?"

"Three weeks."

"Three weeks!" Liz sputtered. "Why?"

"Wants to make sure we're settled in."

"She'll never leave if she sees we're both carrying." Liz said with dismay. "She won't leave until after the babies are born."

"When is yours due?" She asked.

"April." Liz rubbed her stomach.

"Me too." She said quietly. "Liz it's the beginning of December."

Liz sighed. "I know." She paused thinking. "I'll discuss it with Max."

"I was hoping you would say that."

"Absolutely not." Max said his eyes leveled on Kyle. "I don't need my wife to be stressed right now."

"I noticed." Kyle said. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Max looked out the window and wanted to shout. Bringing Liz out west had been one of the best things for her. And now the problem was following her. "I won't have my wife upset."

"Am I supposed to say no to my own mother."

"When it comes to your wife and unborn child, yes." Max said he fisted his hand. "Damn Jim Valenti!"

"My sentiments exactly." Kyle muttered.

"She will stay until New Year's and then she's gone." Max said.

"Kyle out here, it is our territory. You have your own savings correct?" Max asked.

"Enough." Kyle answered. "Nowhere near to you but yes."

"Good, so if you anger your father, you'll be alright until you're back into his good graces."

"I can take care of my family, yes." Kyle answered. Proud that he could say that but frustrated because it was a result of what his father did for him that he could.

"Good." Max said walking back to his desk. "You may need it."

"I realize that." He stood.

"Max, thank you for taking care of my sister, I couldn't."

"You did fine for eighteen years." Max said easily. "You did just fine."

"You talked to Kyle?" Liz asked that night in bed.

"Yes." He stroked her hair. He wondered how much longer he'd be able to hold her like this. Her stomach wasn't in the way yet, but it was going to be soon. He moved his hand down to where it swelled.

"You fix it?" She asked already half asleep.

"Yes." Max assured her. "Go to sleep. Don't worry about it."

"I won't." She settled. "Love you."

"Love you too, darling." He kissed her hair as she drifted. He remained awake for a long while after.


	18. Christmas Presents

_Hey everyone! I made a grave error in my calculations (math is not my strong point), the babies are due in April, not June. They are supposed to be five months pregnant. Sorry, about the confusion. I went back and changed the last chapter. Thanks for your patience! Less than a month till graduation! I am so sorry for the wait. The next part would be quicker. I've been so busy, but the load is lightening up. We're at the point in school where it is "Can we please have our diploma now?"_

_Lissa_

**Chapter 18**

Liz woke expecting to hear the steady beat of her husband's heart. Puzzled when she didn't she turned to sit up. The sun was streaming in and she was dressed. Finally realizing that it was the middle of the day she shook her head to clear it. She had something to do today but she couldn't remember what.

Then she heard the voice. Her mother was here.

Rising and checking herself in the mirror Liz smoothed her hair down knowing she was going to get criticism. Her face was flushed from sleep, but there was nothing she could do about that. She was pregnant; she was allowed to nap during the day. No one, not even her mother, was going to put her down.

"How dare my daughter not be here to greet her guests?" Nancy Parker-Valenti huffed. She was in the front entryway.

"She's resting, Mrs. Valenti." Max said again. She was going to wake Liz up in a moment if she kept yelling. "Mary here will show you up to your rooms, please be quiet, she needs her sleep."

"Well, if you wouldn't allow her to work, over exhausting herself, she wouldn't need to sleep now." Nancy huffed. "Come on, Jim. I cannot believe I raised a daughter like this."

"Sorry, Mama, I fell asleep." Liz stood on the stairs overlooking them.

"Liz, what are you doing up?" Max asked. She had been down for little more than half an hour. "You need to rest." He said as she joined him.

"I'm fine." She accepted his kiss on her forehead before turning to look at her mother. "Hello, Mama."

"Elizabeth, you know better than to keep your guests waiting." Nancy stepped closer to her daughter. She hugged her and pulled back with a puzzled look on her face. "Why…" A smile spread across her face.

Liz flushed when she noticed her mother had felt her stomach.

"Elizabeth, why didn't you tell me? A girl should have her mother with her when she delivers." Nancy said delighted.

Liz shrugged and looked up at Max. "This was why she was resting." Max explained as he held his wife's hand.

"I see." Nancy nodded. "When are you due?" She asked.

"April." Liz informed her. "Same as Serena."

"Yes." Nancy said. There was a gleam in her eye and Liz didn't like it. "Where are Serena and my grandchildren?"

"Kyle took them into town." Liz said.

"Why?" Nancy asked. "They knew I was coming and they went into town?"

"They had things that needed to be done." Liz said patiently. And a little something for Max as well, though Max didn't know. "She'll be back in the evening. Why don't you and father go put your things down and rest?"

"Fine." She said. "We have things to discuss, Elizabeth."

"I know, Mama." Liz said, "I'm glad you made the trip alright, it wasn't too hard?"

"Not something I hope to repeat soon."

Liz smiled and looked up at her husband when Nancy and Jim started up the stairs.

Max turned to Liz and studied her face carefully. There was already a strain in her eye that Max wanted to clear away. She smiled up at him, reassuring him.

"I'll be alright." She told him, taking his hand in hers. "You'll be here with me."

"Yes."

Lifting unsteadily onto her tiptoes she pressed a kiss to his cheek. He wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her against him.

"Elizabeth." Her mother snapped.

Pulling back abruptly, Liz turned to her mother. "Yes?"

"Do not show displays of affection in public, it is offensive and vulgar."

Her cheeks flushed but she looked up at her mother, with fists at her side.

"We are not in public, we are in my home, if it offends you, I cannot apologize, Mama. If you find it vulgar, look elsewhere."

Nancy Valenti looked stunned for a moment before shooting a look at Max. With a last look that could kill, she turned and continued up the stairs.

* * *

Liz sat facing her mother discussing their Christmas plans. She tried to keep a look on her face that didn't speak of the boredom she was feeling inside.

"I understand where you're coming from, Elizabeth, but we've always eaten Christmas meal together on Christmas day, not Eve." Her mother insisted.

"I know." Liz said calmly replacing her tea cup and smoothing a hand over her round tummy.

"Stop rubbing your stomach and drawing attention to yourself." Nancy said. "It's most unladylike."

"It's also a most uncomfortable position to be in, Mama." Liz retorted angrily. She would not be harassed in her husband's home. "And we will be eating on Christmas Eve like Max's family does on tradition."

"Elizabeth."

"That is how it will be Mama." Liz said firmly. "This is my home. I became part of my husband's family and I will uphold his traditions and my children will be raised in his traditions."

Nancy was about to say more when Cassidy came bursting into the room.

"Aunt Liz!" She ran to her aunt and hurriedly kissed her cheek.

"Hello, Cassidy darling." Liz smiled at her niece.

"Daddy took us by the new house, and it's so pretty and it overlooks most of Uncle Max's land and all of ours. We also got Uncle Max's…"

"Cassidy."

Cassidy stopped and turned around, looked at her grandmother.

Her heart beat faster and she realized she was in trouble. She had not acknowledged her grandmother because she had not noticed her grandmother was there.

She dipped into a curtsy and rose to press a kiss to her cheek. "Good afternoon, Grandmamma."

"Good afternoon, Cassidy." Her grandmother said. "Next time you will wait to see who is in the room before you come barging in. It was very rude that you acknowledged your aunt before your grandmother."

"I apologize." Cassidy said again before stepping back and sitting on the footstool at Liz's feet.

"She did not realize you were there, Mama." Liz tried to make it right. Cassidy had greeted her out of affection, not from any sense of protocol.

"She should stop to look before she comes stomping in here like some street child."

"We do not stand on ceremony here." Liz said again. "Cassidy is not expected to treat her own family as she does strangers."

"Do you mean for three weeks this child has been running around without any manners or any sense of propriety?"

"No." Liz said calmly. "She understands everything very well. We just don't stand on ceremony in the privacy of our own homes."

"Where does she attend school?" Nancy shot out. "Answer me, Cassidy?"

"Jefferson, madam." Cassidy answered.

"It is public?"

"Yes, madam."

"Why?"

"Mama." Liz said looking her mother in the eye. "Cassidy attends a very good public school. Her parents have agreed upon her attendance there and have decided it is perfectly acceptable. I do not want you interfering with anything. This is our life, and Kyle and Serena's child. Not yours."

"You will not talk to you me that way."

"I will talk to you as I must." Liz said standing. "If you would excuse me I must tell the cook that Kyle and Serena are back for dinner. Cassidy, come with me."

* * *

The Guerins joined them for Christmas Eve dinner.

Surprisingly Nancy put on a nice face and made nice with everyone there. After dinner everyone retired to the parlor and Maria played a few Christmas songs on the piano.

Cassidy skipped over to Maria and whispered something in her ear.

"Sure." Maria answered. "Have a seat next to me. You ready?"

She nodded.

Cassidy started softly at first, a pretty rendition of "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". Her soprano voice picked up volume as she gained confidence. After the first verse Maria joined her adding a nice harmony.

When they were done the room exploded in applause Cassidy flushed and curtsied before she returned to her mother's feet.

"Aunt Liz, please tell us about 'A Visit from St. Nick.'" Cassidy pleaded trying to draw the attention away from her. "Please?"

"Alright."

"'Twas the night before Christmas…"

Cassidy, Logan, and Matthew were asleep by the end of the story.

"Next year at this time we'll have our baby." Max said as Liz entered his room. He smiled as she walked over to him. She lacked Serena's grace in carrying the baby, but this was only her first. Of many Max hoped.

Liz nodded, and looked up at him. Her hands behind her back, Lady prancing at her feet, she looked incredibly young to him, with her eyes shining so brightly.

"What?" He asked. He took a step towards her and she took one back.

"Nope." She sang as she stepped from his reach. "I have your Christmas present."

"Early?"

"Just by an evening. I thought you were a little old for Father Christmas to visit you."

He smiled and waited.

"It took me a little while to figure out what to buy for you." She said shyly as she stood. "I think I got the right thing for you."

"I have you, I don't need anything else."

"No." She smiled. "I wanted to get something special for you. It took me a while because you never really show a strong interest in anything. But then I realized you spend a lot of your free time, when you're not with me, in the library."

"Yes." He said.

"And I know you like Oscar Wilde."

"Very much."

"I got us two tickets for a showing of The Importance of Being Ernest." 

"You didn't." He said. "I've been trying to get tickets to that forever but they've sold out." He said.

"I know." She said. "I got them as soon as they came out. They're for Santa Fe."

"Is it safe for you to travel?"

"Yes." She said. "The doctor said it was ok. The tickets are for January. I've always wanted to see Santa Fe."

"We'll go." He said and pulled her close. "You're sure it will be ok?"

"Yes." Taking a step closer she looked up at him, her eyes clear of all the laughter. "You know I love you, right Max?"

"Very much, darling."

"I don't always say it." Her voice trembled a little bit. "But I feel it just the same."

"I know, I love you too." He pulled her to him, his hand resting lightly on her stomach. "Both of you."

"We know." She rested her head on her chin. "We leave next week, right after my mother."

"Does she know she's leaving?"

"Not yet." Liz sighed. "I thought we'd let her have a pleasant Christmas and then send her on her way."

"Sounds good." He pulled her closer. "Your present is coming in a few weeks, my mother is going to send the cradle I used when I was an infant."

Her eyes lit and filled with laughter. "I wasn't going to tell you until tomorrow as a last Christmas present, but that spoils it."

"What?"

"We're going to need two cradles, we're going to have twins."

**TBC**


	19. Arguments and a surprise

Chapter 19

Liz paused outside her parents' room. She heard her mother ranting to Jim Valenti and her poor maid.

Lifting a hand she formed a fist and knocked on the door.

A very composed looking maid opened the door.

"It's your daughter, ma'am." She called.

"Now, she decides to see me." Nancy called. "Let her in."

"Mrs. Evans." The maid stepped aside.

"Will you please give us a moment?" Liz asked, looking at both her father and her mother's maid.

The maid left the room immediately, eager to be out. Jim took his time, giving a warning look before leaving.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't dismiss people without my permission." Nancy started.

"Stop." Liz said before her mother could say anything more. "This is my house and you will listen to me." Liz looked her mother in the face and took her handkerchief from her so her mother had her full attention.

"Look at me." Liz said gently. "I have something I want to talk to you about."

"Now's a fine time, now that you've kicked me out of your house, out of your life and out of my grandchildren's lives."

"Oh, stop." Liz rolled her eyes. "Stop being so dramatic. I'm not kicking you out of anyone's life. I just want to live mine, Mama. I'm married now, so is Kyle we'll be ok by ourselves."

"I just want…"

"My turn." Liz held up a hand for quiet. "I don't understand why you don't want us to be happy. Why you hurt Serena when you know it makes Kyle unhappy, why you tried to keep me from marrying Max, when you knew that would have made me the happiest girl in the world."

"Liz I…"

"Do you have any good reasons, Mama?" She asked desperately.

Nancy moved her mouth, trying to get something out.

"See you don't even have a reason for acting like you do." Liz sat on the bed next to her mother. "I know at first you were worried for me, and when we were poor, and living in the slums of the city, I could understand why you would want me to stay away from Max. But once you introduced us to Jim…Father…you changed the rules. You began to hate Serena, when she had been perfectly good enough for Kyle four years before. Why?"

"Liz our position in society…"

"That doesn't matter." Liz interrupted. "Mama, have you realized something, where are you from? What high born father sired you?" Liz said harshly.

Nancy stopped, and studied. "I didn't come from anywhere, Elizabeth." She spoke slowly. "Unlike you and your brother I have no claim to anybody."

"Then why do you insist on being above those who are just like you?" Liz grew impatient. "That's they only question I have is why. Why are you the way you are and why do you insist on hurting your own family?"

"Because, Elizabeth, they didn't need to be a part of your family, they could have been so much better. You could have had so much better. I should have come down on you harder as a child, I should have told you about your father before and never let you and your brother fall for such common people."

"Mama, look at this house, is Max Evans common?"

"I was talking about Serena!"

"She's no less than you are." Liz raised her voice to match her mother. "She's no less than I am." She said after a moment, when her voice was calm again.

"Why couldn't I have a daughter like the Troys or the Whitmans? They have such wonderful daughters. Obedient."

"Because that's not who I am." Liz ground out through her teeth.

"Oh no, I had to have a daughter who dirties her hands being a nurse, a daughter who gives up on everything she's been handed. A daughter who throws everything in her mother's face for. All I've ever done is try to help me and you act ungrateful and want to hurt me. It's like you don't even love me." She finished. "Sometimes I have to remind myself why I give so much up for you, why I continue to love you."

Liz drew back as if she'd been slapped. Everything in her system revolted and the room spun. Closing her eyes she opened them a moment later, looking at her mother, her expression glassy.

"Liz, I…" Nancy started.

"No." Liz stood she laid her hand on the bedpost to steady herself, she ordered her stomach to stop swirling.

"Elizabeth, I didn't…"

"If that is the way you feel." Liz spoke quietly. But to Nancy's astonishment her daughter's voice wasn't full of anger or frustration. It was defeat. And something in that stirred Nancy to her inner soul. "I'm going to go lie down."

"Wait." Nancy stood.

Liz shook her head and quietly shut the door behind her with a soft click.

Max had been in the bedroom when Liz had entered pale and drawn. He had immediately ushered her into bed and was only able to get that she had been to see her mother. Nervous he had sent for the doctor. Now he was standing in his wife's sitting room outside their bedroom while the doctor was examining her.

He looked up and had to keep from shouting when Nancy Valenti walked in.

"What do you want?" He ground out, his hand forming a fist at her side.

"Is she going to be alright?" She asked ignoring the question.

"Maybe." He looked at her.

"Why do you do it?" He asked. "Why do you make her sick, why do you make her feel guilty, why do you not let her alone?"

"I…" She started, then stopped. "I don't know why I do it. I wasn't happy I don't expect them to be happy. You know, Jim Valenti asked me to marry him right there, after our first time together. I wasn't married yet; I could have gone with him." She gave a mirthless laugh. "Now, I don't know why I went back to Jeff Parker. He was a good man then, but once I told him neither of the children were his, he just lost it."

"So you're ruining your daughter's life because of a mistake you made?"

"No. I'm trying to make her see the correct way. I gave up my life, my happiness, for what I thought was right. I don't want her, or Kyle to give up forever chasing a dream that's not there."

"If you would have followed yours you would have gone to New York with Jim Valenti." Max said. "Let them follow their dreams, you gave up yours, don't make them give up theirs."

The doctor came out looking frazzled but with a smile. "She's fine, just don't let her stress herself."

"What about the trip next week?"

"She'll be fine." The doctor smiled. "I've patients to see. Don't let her come down today or tomorrow I already told her I'd send her right back, but I thought it would be best to tell you because she only listens to what she wants."

"I know."

"Do you think I could see her?"

"No." Both the doctor and Max said.

"Ok." Nancy said accepting she'd lost her chance. "Tell her…" She paused looking at the closed door. "Tell her I said goodbye, and that I love her."

Max nodded. "We look forward to seeing you this summer. Here." Max said making it clear that whatever was going on between them would be solved by then.

"I'm not making this trip twice a year." Nancy protested.

"If you wish to see you daughter and new grandchildren you will. Liz will not travel with the babies." He said folding his arms. "You do wish to meet them don't you?"

"Yes. Goodbye, Max."

"Goodbye." He turned and entered his wife's chamber.

_Three weeks later_

"Matthew, love how did you manage to break your arm?"

"He fell off the fence." His worried mother, Maria, told Liz as she hovered by his side. "Even though his father told him countless times to stay off it."

Liz was in the back of the house setting his broken arm when she heard a great commotion in the front. Finishing up and handing Matthew Guerin a mint she went to find out what was going on.

"Nellie!" She squealed.

"Liz!" They embraced and began chattering. Nellie commenting on Liz's condition caused Liz to flush. "How are you and little one doing?"

"Good." Liz said. "How are you?"

"Oh fine, fine." She breathed as she looked around. "Looks like Max has quite the little set up here doesn't he?"

"Yes." Liz said looking around. "Come back here; let me show you what Max has done." She said. They wound their way through the house.

"Maria, this is my friend from New York. She's also a nurse." Liz introduced. Matthew was still on the table.

"Oh, my, what happened to you, sweetheart?" Nellie asked examining the arm.

Finding another woman to fawn over him he promptly broke into tears as he explained his situation.

"So this is the Nellie, you've been telling me about?" Maria eyed the woman with obvious dislike. Someone who had been friends with Liz before her, she didn't want anything to do with her.

"Yes." Liz tried to fight back her smile, she could hear the wheels turning in her head already. "No, Maria, she's not going to take your place but I will need your help showing her around and things. Like for me."

"Where is she going to stay?"

"I don't know." Liz was suddenly puzzled what _was _Nellie doing here so early in the year?"

"Nellie." Liz asked.

"Hmm?" She held the arm up and inspected it. "You did a fine job, here, Elizabeth."

"Nellie, you don't need to inspect my work, I've been doing fine for the past months." Liz said. "What are you doing here?"

"I can see I'm wanted." Nellie smiled as she studied Maria. So this was the Maria who had become friends with Liz. "Max wanted a nurse out here to help you sooner than a year." She glanced at Maria one more time before she turned to Liz. "And I thought I would accommodate him, and now, I see why."

"Nellie." Liz said and batted her hand away when the other woman put her hand to her belly. "Have you been settled in?"

"I'm staying with Kyle and Serena." Nellie explained. "I'm to come to the clinic in the morning and stay till the afternoon."

"My husband needs to stay out of my work." Liz gritted out.

"He only wants you to be safe." Nellie said.

"We're going to head home." Maria said and picked Matthew up.

"Bye Aunt Liz! Bye Miss Nellie." Matthew waved his good arm. His blue eyes adoring.

"Bye." The women called.

Walking away Maria still wasn't sure how she felt about Miss Cornelia Brighton coming west.


	20. Old friends in the New World

**Nancy Parker seems to be making everyone upset. We'll fix it. Don't worry. Oh, and Nellie is not bad and she's not going to try to take Max away, she's Liz's friend. I'm typing this from my graduation present. Just got back from Florida today for my senior trip, Walt Disney World is huge, but I think I'll stick with little ol' Disneyland.**

**Chapter 20**

It was early May and Liz had been delivered of healthy twins, a boy, Jacob Kyle, and girl, Helena Elizabeth.

Liz was upstairs with the twins, where Max could easily hover over her. He preferred to stay out of the clinic and so kept his wife out as well.

Nellie smiled when she heard Max's office door open and shut. Liz had kicked him out of the nursery again. Nellie went back to tending the child who had burned her hands on the stove. She was happy for her two friends. She didn't know how she would be able to deal with seeing the man she had once thought herself in love with marry another woman, her best friend. It didn't bother her she was proud to say. She loved Max like a brother and she knew she would find someone else soon.

Maria Guerin was another story. The two rivaled for Liz's attention and Liz gave of it freely. She seemed oblivious to her friends' plight. Smiling Nellie secretly like the other woman her feistiness was a perfect match for Liz. Too bad the woman was so squeamish; she would have made the perfect nurse.

Nellie had just dried her hands when a frazzled woman walked in, a screaming baby in her arms and tiny blonde haired girl limped beside her.

"Sit right there, Katie, and hush." The woman said. "Is Mrs. Evans here?"

"No, I'm filling in for her though." Nellie said. "Did you need a nurse?"

"Yes." She pointed to the girl the woman had called Katie. "Something is wrong with the girl. She was running off as usual and the girl came back limping. I don't know what's wrong with her and she won't say."

Nellie studied the girl and thought there was something oddly familiar about the child.

"Do you want to tell me what happened to you, Katie darling?" Nellie lifted her onto the examining table. "Will you?"

"I want my da." She rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"The girl continually asks for her da. He's a busy man now; he can't spend every minute of the day with her."

"I want my da." She said again.

"We'll find you da in a moment, sweetheart." Nellie bent and gently began feeling for broken bones when the girl winced as she grabbed her ankle she knew she found the problem. "Did you fall down in a field?"

"I fall down." The girl repeated, looking into her eyes, trusting this other woman.

"How old are you, Katie?"

"This many." She held up three fingers.

"Did you fall in a gopher hole?"

"I fall in a hole." The little girl said. "Hi, doggie."

Nellie turned and saw Lady standing in the doorway sniffing.

"Lady, come." Nellie called. The dog scampered over and she picked it up and held it to the girl. "You like the doggie?"

"Yes." She reached out to touch her. Something about the child seemed so familiar but Nellie couldn't place her.

"Well Lady will sit right here with you and let you pet her. I'm going to feel you leg and fix it, ok? It might hurt a little."

"I want my da." She stated again when Nellie mentioned her leg.

"This might be easier, ma'am if you were to stay outside." She turned to the woman.

"Hmm." She said. "I think I'll stay here."

"No." Nellie said. "Please go."

The woman left with a loud humpf and went to the waiting room.

Pulling the stockings down and off caused the little girl to wince.

"What?" Nellie asked watching the little girl's face contort with pain. "Katie, do you hurt elsewhere?"

Looking at the door and then at Nellie she nodded.

"Show me where." Nellie went to the door and shouted to Cassidy who was in the waiting room. Sometimes she was allowed to join Nellie and Liz in the examination room and she spent her days in the waiting room for when she could.

"Cassidy, I need you to go get your aunt."

"But, Uncle Max said…"

"Your Uncle Max will deal with it. I need her."

"Ok." She jumped up and went to get her.

"Ok, Katie." Nellie went back to her. "I'm going to take your dress of ok?"

She looked uncertain but allowed her to take off the tiny frock. Her tiny body was covered with welts and bruises.

"Katie, what happened?" Nellie asked.

She didn't say anything but stared at the door. Liz came in a few minutes later, tying an apron behind her. "Hello."

"Liz, look." Nellie pointed to the girl on the table.

"That looks like when the boys get spanked with the ruler at school." Cassidy said.

"Cassidy, out." Liz said and approached the table.

"The nanny said she fell down."

"That's not a fall." Liz said. "I'll send for the doctor, to make sure there aren't any internal injuries. Are there other children in the nanny's care?"

"Just a baby, about eleven months."

"Cassidy!" Liz called.

"Yes, Aunt Liz?" She poked her head in eagerly.

"Go tell Mr. March to go find the doctor please. And tell him to be quick."

"Yes, ma'am." She ducked out of the room.

"Go get the baby."

"What should I tell the nanny?"

"Just that we're doing a routine check-up for free and see if you can find out who this little girl's da is."

Fifteen minutes later the doctor walked in. "Elizabeth, you're not supposed to be up."

"It's been three weeks since I've had the babies." Liz said. "Look at this child."

"What happened?" He asked as he began gently twisting joints, and feeling around for any other injuries. His brows creased as Liz explained. While they were doing that Nellie slipped out of the room and out of the house.

Disturbed at the information she had gotten out of the nanny, Georgia, Nellie left the Evans house. Something of the nanny's tale just did not sit well with her, along with who they said the father was.

* * *

She reached the house at the end of town. The house had only been completed a month before and a new family had moved in. A widower, and that was all they knew about the family. But when the nanny had given the name, her heart had jumped.

She reached the house and knocked on the door.

"Can I help you Miss…:" A maid answered the door, Nellie assumed it was the housekeeper.

"Brighton, Cornelia Brighton."

The house was a nice size, no where near as large as Max's but it was obvious the occupants had enough money.

"Mr. Malloy will see you in his office."

Nellie stepped into the room. Seeing him again took her breath away. There was a hardness in his eye that wasn't there before.

"Can I help you Miss Brighton?" He asked, raising one blonde eyebrow at her.

"You don't remember me do you, Mr. Malloy?"

"I'm afraid not." He said.

"I delivered your youngest child, Mary Sarah." She said. That caught his attention. "In New York."

"I don't believe you did, Miss Brighton a friend of mine did." He said, studying her more closely. That day and the weeks following it had been hectic and a blur for the man. Three months after Mary Sarah had been born he had left New York City. Tired of the masses, tired of the work, and tired of everything that made New York City, he had left for the wide open spaces of the west.

The death of his wife, Sarah had left a mark on him and he mourned for her. The only thing that kept him going were his young daughters, Kathryn and Mary Sarah.

"There was another girl there as well, Mr. Malloy." She said quietly. It stung a little bit to realize that he hadn't even known she was there or that he didn't remember her. Her mind tried to tell her heart that he had been grieve had to _still _be grieving. But it was no use, her heart wouldn't listen.

"No, I can't seem to recall. If you were there you'd know that that was a rather hard day for me, Miss Brighton."

"Yes." She nodded.

"Is there something you needed to see me about?" He asked. "I've come quite a long way from where I was a year ago, but no where near where I want to be for my daughters."

"I'm a friend of the Evans."

His eyes perked.

"You do know that Liz is here right, her husband owns like half the town." Nellie said.

"Yes, I do." Sean said quietly He wasn't sure how he felt about that yet, which is why he hadn't made his presence known. "How did you know I was here?"

"Your daughter's nanny brought in Katie because she fell into a gopher hole and now she's limping."

"What?" He was around the desk in an instant. At that moment she knew that he had no idea what was going on with his nanny and the children. "Is she ok?"

"We're not sure. Your daughter, Mr. Malloy, had many other injuries on her body." She said slowly. "She seemed frightened of the nanny."

"But they…where are they?"

"At the Evans' house. Max Evans had the back of his house converted into a clinic so his wife can run a small practice there and relieve the overflow from the doctor."

"He's good to her then?"

"Yes." Nellie told him. "He's very good to her. Did you hear that she just had twins?"

"Twins, really?" He smiled. "I can't see Elizabeth as a mother."

"She's a good one. Your children, Mr. Malloy?" She asked. "How often do you check on your children when they're in the nursery?"

"I don't see them as much, as I used to." He said as he looked down. "I've been working. I'm going to go with you to collect them, and you'll tell me what's going on."

"Ok." She nodded, studying him. "You care about your daughters?"

"Very much, they're all I have left, all that matters."

Her heart hoped to one day matter to him as well.

They arrived back at the Evans residence a few minutes later.

Nellie led him around the back so that he could enter without the nanny being there.

"Da!" Katie said in surprised happiness, her tiny foot and ankle was wrapped in a cast, her tiny body ensconced in a blanket.

"Hello, my princess." He said going to her. "What happened to you, my love?"

She shrugged and continued to pet Lady.

"Sean?" Liz asked surprised.

"Yeah." He said shyly. "Surprise?"

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"These are my daughters." He took the baby from Liz's arms. "You and Miss Brighton here delivered this one."

"Really?" Liz said and realized why the baby looked so familiar. "Oh, Sean, when did you move out here?"

"I had money saved up. Sarah and I were going to move out here after the baby was born and I just decided to go on after…" He paused. "I have money in a small coal mine and it's really producing. What's wrong with my daughter?"

"You might consider hiring another nanny." She stepped towards Katie. His face grimaced as he looked at his daughter. "Where is she?"

"In the waiting room." Nellie said.

"I'll be back."

Liz began to get antsy and looking towards the door.

"Liz, go back up to your babies."

She blushed and looked down. "I don't…"

"Just go." Nellie smiled.

"Thank you. You'll be ok?" She was already taking off her apron and the doctor had already left.

"Yes." Nellie nodded and watched Liz quickly leave the room.

* * *

"Uncle Max, guess what!" Cassidy skipped into his office. She was welcome in there in anytime she had been informed. Just like she was with her father.

"What?" He looked up at her. "Besidesthat a very pretty little girl isin my office."

"Mr. Malloy is here, he moved in a few weeks ago. That house on the edge of town is his." She informed him.

"Mr. Malloy As in Sean Malloy?" he asked,

"Yes." She said. "I saw his daughters. They're really cute. They're only a little older than Helena and Jacob, and my little brother Robby."

"Is he in the clinic?"

"Yeah. There's something wrong with Katie, the bigger one. Miss Cornelia sent me to get the doctor so it must have been serious, and then Aunt Liz came."

"Is he still here?" She asked.

"I think."

Max stood and opened his office door. Nellie was holding one child while Sean Malloy was holding another.

"Hold it right there, Miss Brighton." Max ground out. Just seeing the other man upset him.

"Max, I'm just going to help him get the girls home and then I'll go over to Kyle and Serena's." Nellie said.

"No."

"Max." She stepped back and looked up at him. "I'm not your sister and I'm not your wife, I can take care of myself, and I do not have to obey you."

"I promised your father that I would take care of you while you were here."

"I know you did. I'm fine, I'll be fine." She said, looking back at Sean. The look in her eyes was so tender towards the man and his daughter that he couldn't help but let her go.

"Be careful." He said. "I'll make sure Cassidy gets home."

"Ok." She said. "Thank you."

**tbc**


	21. Reconciliation

**Chapter 21**

Once again, Liz found herself at the train station. The June weather was already heating up and she knew it'd be another hot summer. Although the weather usually went from hot to warm.

They were waiting for Nancy and Jim Valenti. The Brightons were to be arriving the following week. Originally they had been planning on traveling together, but Liz had wanted time without her mother before she had a whole houseful of guests descended on her.

It was the first time she was out of the house since she had the twins and she already missed her children.

"Do you think the babies are ok?" Liz asked again.

"They're fine." Max reassured his young wife. "Plus, I think it's good that we meet your mother here, show her that we're ready to make amends."

"Yes." Liz still had no idea how she felt about her mother coming here again but she really had very little choice.

"Elizabeth." Nancy saw her daughter standing next to her husband who was standing so protectively near her.

"Mama." Liz greeted. "I hope the trip went well."

Nancy looked like she was about to say something but then changed her mind. "Yes, it went well." She improvised.

"I'm glad to hear that." Liz answered. "Well, shall we get going, I've got two babies at home waiting to meet their grandmother and grandfather."

"Yes." Max led them outside.

"An automobile?" Nancy asked. "Surely you don't mean for me to…" She broke off when she saw the pained expression on her daughter's face. She had made a promise to herself to make amends with her one and only daughter. Her relationship was so strained and she wanted to change that.

"This should be interesting, I've never had the chance to ride in one, Max you drive it yourself?" She said instead.

Max and Jim both gave her an approving nod. Liz stepped up into the car with a confused expression on her face.

Liz rocked little Helena in her arms as she sat in the nursery. Her mother had opted for a lie down before doing anything else. Liz didn't mind because she'd rather spend all her time with the twins anyway. Cassidy, Logan, and the Malloy children were also in the nursery.

"Look, Aunt Liz, Mary Sarah is taking steps." Cassidy said excitedly.

The little girl was well on her way to walking. "Keep working with her, she's doing well." Liz said. She stood and retrieved Jacob from his crib when she heard him starting to fuss. "Hey, little one, Mama's here." Liz lifted the small boy. His hair was nothing more than a few thin wasps where his sister's was full and curly.

Struggling to keep a tight grip on both babies she returned to the rocking chair and had just sat down when Nancy Parker entered.

"Hello, Mama." Liz looked up at her mother. She had been really worried about how her mother would react to the full nursery and most importantly to the Malloy girls.

"Quite a full nursery you have here."

"Yes." Liz stated looking around. "These two are mine. Cassidy is with neighbor children who like to hang around here."

"So these are my newest grandchildren?" She walked over to the trio.

"Yes." Liz couldn't help but beam her pride at the two month old babies on her lap. "Jacob and Helena, meet your grandmamma."

"Elizabeth, they're darling." She said and stepped towards them. "May I hold one?"

"Yes, of course." Liz said. "Take Helena, she just ate and should be happy for a little while longer."

"I love what you've done with the nursery." She sat in the other rocker. "Most women have centuries behind them of nursery work but you started from scratch."

"The cradle Jacob sleeps in was Max's." Liz said as she watched her little boy. He smiled up at her, his grin as fatal as his father's and he was barely two months. "Everything else we had to order new."

"Hello, grandmamma." Cassidy stood next to the chair.

"Cassidy." She said, looking up at her granddaughter. "You've grown quite a bit, haven't you?"

"Yes. Helena likes it when you do this." Cassidy stroked her index finger under the little girl's chin and she let out a huge grin.

"Who are these other children, Liz?" Nancy asked obviously trying to make conversation.

"They're Mr. Malloy's little girls." Cassidy answered.

"Malloy?" Nancy asked.

"Sean, Mama." Liz explained. "He moved out here a few months ago and has made it quite well on his own. His daughters had an…incident with their nanny and so they stay with us sometimes."

"Sean Malloy." Nancy said with wonder.

"Yes." Liz stood when Jacob began to fuss and began pacing the floor. "He's been getting along quite well here, you heard about his wife?"

"Yes. Is he looking for another wife?"

"He's thinking on it, for those two." She nodded at the girls. "I think he's already found one nice lady."

"I'm sure there's plenty of women that would."

"Yes, but this one's special." Liz said as she laid Jacob down.

"Who?" Nancy asked curious.

"Nellie Brighton." Liz smiled and turned. "Now I've got to go down to the clinic. You're welcome to stay here or do whatever."

"I'll be fine, I have plenty of grandchildren around.

"Ok." Liz smiled and left the room.

* * *

"Oh, Miss Brighton." Sean said startled. He had gone up to the nursery to check on the children. He had hired a new nurse, even though the children spent most of their day at the Evans. "I wasn't expecting you here, in my daughter's nursery."

She had been around in the past month and a half. More than he ever thought to see her. It was so natural to see her here, in his nursery, holding his daughters, that when he had first walked in he hadn't noticed anything out of place. At first it had annoyed him, then she became so regular he began to expect it, then want it.

Then he needed it.

"I brought them home this evening and Mary Sarah was a little fussy so I stayed with her. Katie is in the other room."

"Yes." Sean nodded. He took a step towards Nellie and stopped when he saw the look of total adoration on his daughter's face. Nellie looked down again and brought the baby closer to her. The baby snuggled in tight as if she wanted to stay there forever. "She likes you."

"I love her." Nellie said before she could catch herself. She stopped rocking and went to hand the baby to Sean muttering apologies. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here, I'm overstepping bounds and doing things that…"

"Miss Brighton." Sean tried to interrupt He saw her face, saw the look she had given his daughter, saw the look returned in his daughter's eyes.

"I'll leave, I won't see the children…"

"Cornelia." He tried again. Desperate to get her attention, to let her know he was willing to share them.

"Nellie." He said on a whisper.

She looked up at him then. She looked into his eyes and saw the burning intensity the desire. He saw hers and saw love.

"Nellie, it's alright." He handed his daughter back to her, into her arms, where Mary Sarah looked and felt natural.

"I should not come here anymore."

"But I want you here." Sean said with finality. "I've wanted you here for a long time."

"Well, Mr. Malloy, I'm a nurse, not a nanny. I can't spend all my time with your children." Frustrated that he obviously didn't share her feelings. "I've got to get back."

"No, Nellie." He used her given name. "I meant here, with me."

"What?" Her heart fluttered.

"I know I haven't had time to court you or give you pretty things, I've been busy." He explained. "I'll try not to be as busy once we're married, but I suspect that since we both have demanding jobs, we'll get along alright, we'll understand."

"Marry?" Nellie said, panicking but at the same time her heart was jumping for joy. "You've never even met my family."

"I know. We could take a trip back to New York first."

"They're coming here." Nellie said, pulling the child closer to her, causing Mary Sarah to wake. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

Mary Sarah giggled.

"She doesn't seem upset." Sean said with a smile. "She adores you."

"Yes, the feeling is mutual." She bounced her a bit. "My family is staying at Max and Liz's house."

"Are they?"

"Yes." Nellie said. "Would you care to meet them?"

"Are they like you?"

"Unfortunately." She said looking at the carpet.

"Nellie." He stepped towards her and lifted her chin so she was looking at him. "Then I'll love them."

* * *

Liz was abuzz with excitement for both her friends. All that remained was the dinner with her parents, which she was the hostess of.

She didn't know if she would be able to handle it. Her heart beating fast and swallowing a tremendous amount of pride she knocked on her mother's door.

"Come in."

Her mother was in the rocking chair in the corner looking out the window.

"Oh, Elizabeth, I've been meaning to speak with you."

"Oh?"

"Come in, come in child." Nancy Parker beckoned.

Out of habit Liz took the seat on the ottoman at her mother's feet and rested her head on her lap.

After stroking her daughter's hair for a moment, Nancy removed her hand, "Elizabeth, as much as I hate to admit it, you are mistress of this house and you cannot sit at my feet."

"Mama." Liz looked up at her.

"No, Elizabeth, we will speak as equals. As mothers." She smiled. "It's hard to think my baby girl a mother. To twins no less."

"I find it hard to believe myself, Mama." Liz said honestly. "Sometimes…sometimes the love for them, it just swamps me. I love Max, so very much, but what I feel for my babies is…" She paused and searched for the right word.

"Intense?" Nancy supplied.

"Yes." Liz paused waited a second and picked at her skirt. "Mama, about what you said the last time you were here about me being…difficult to love, was it true?" Her eyes furrowed she couldn't think of anything her children could that would make it _difficult _to love them.

"No." Nancy reached out across her to the window seat where Liz had perched. "No, love. I've had a lot to sort through since your husband sent me home after Christmas."

"Max…"

"No, he did the right thing, protecting his wife and unborn babies." Nancy said. "I sat and sat and wondered what was making me so angry."

"You had plenty to be angry for."

"No, I didn't and for that I have to apologize." Nancy said softly. "I think I was jealous of you, Elizabeth. I was jealous of my own daughter. You had been given everything I ever wanted."

"After I turned sixteen." Liz put in. "I was just as poor as you the first sixteen years of my life. I lived in the same neighborhoods, worked in the same factories, that you did, mama. You only moved us up after the only man I had ever known as my father died."

"Jim is—"

"Jim took me in at the last moment. Jeff Parker may not have been the nicest man or the most sober, but have you ever thought about what it must have been like for him? To have to deal with seeing, of putting up with, of supporting two children not your own. A symbol of you wife's infidelity?"

"I've never looked at it that way."

"I hadn't imagined you did." Liz said.

"Where did you get so smart?"

Liz looked out the window to try to hide her embarrassment.

"Elizabeth." Her mother said.

Liz looked at the serious tone in her voice.

"I didn't want to see my own mistakes. I could have left Papa before the wedding, I met Jim before the wedding. I could have done a hundred things differently, but I didn't, and I took them out on my children, my grandchildren. I push you so; I push Cassidy so, because I don't want you to make the same mistakes."

"Mama, we have to make our own mistakes, and with what we have we can't fall very far anymore."

"I know." Nancy said. "I'm going to try to make this better. Our relationship better. I'm going to let you learn on your own."

"You promise?" Liz asked looking at her mother speculatively.

"I promise."

Liz waited a moment, studying her face before nodding. She got up from the window, went to the ottoman and sat, rested her head on her mother's lap.

"Liz…"

"Mama, I need your help."

"With what?"

"Nellie and Sean want to be married. I need to introduce them to the Brightons when they come next week. I need to help convince them that he's an acceptable match."

"Is he?" Nancy asked.

"yes." She smiled.

Nancy looked into her daughter's eyes before replying.

"Alright, I trust you. If they arrive next week, we don't have time to arrange this."

"Yes. Thank you."

**TBC**


End file.
